Just telling you what I read in that article. There are plenty of large markets in the Big 12/Pac 10 footprint to generate a significant source of revenue for 22 schools.
Houston
Dallas
Los Angeles
San Fran/Oakland
Phoenix
Seattle
I think a joint TV deal between the Big 12 and Pac 10 would likely generate similar revenues, PER SCHOOL, to the Big 10 Network.
In any case, UT currently pulls in around $11 or $12 million in TV revenue (I think I've read that somewhere), and Big 10 schools bank around $22 million. In 2008, UT's total athletic revenues were in the neighborhood of $123 million. Do you think they'd give up their "ownership" of the Big 12 to increase their revenue by 8%? I don't.
There is no doubt that those towns have the population to potentially help out with adding TV sets. However, when I look at that list, I see nothing but pro sports towns--especially those on the PST zone.
However, I think if the network can manage to add their network to every basic tier to the major television providers in those cities, schools like ISU could see a nice increase to their revenues. I think there are just too many plates at the table for all of them to get the kind of money Big Ten schools get, though.
As far as the rest of the thread, there is absolutely no way, no how ISU gets an invite to the Big Ten conference on academics alone. They could be rated above Ivy League schools and it still wouldn't matter. That's not a slight against ISU, as I think Iowa would have a hard time justifying their entry if the tables were switched.
Personally, I think if the Big Ten HAS to expand, they should go to 14 teams. UNL, Mizzou and one other school not named Rutgers. I think that is an incredibly dumb move if an invite were to go out to that school. If they had a national following like Nebraska does, maybe, but they have their own little niche carved out in New Jersey, and that's about it.
I still haven't warmed up to the idea of the Big Ten expanding. If I had it my way, it would stay exactly how it is.