Bowlsby had some dirt on ESPN that they had not be negotiating with the league in good faith on a contract extension, instead they had been working with a way to move UT and OU to the SEC. What that dirt was, emails or people in the know, he had enough to get ESPN to bid on a new contract for the league. It was mostly likely cheaper for ESPN to do that, then face the lawsuit they were looking at by not negotiation in good faith. Part of the deal was allowing the two schools to move. Remember it was ESPN pushing a deal to merge the league with the AAC, after it was picked over.