Lots of sources, none of them individually reliable but there does seem to be a lot of smoke building in a cumulative sense. The consensus is that big moves are coming at the June Big 12 meetings, and it is a true that a number of viability studies are to be completed for that meeting for the President's to review...pertaining to which teams bring value, how much value a CCG brings, and how the LHN can be converted to a conference network.
Here's the high points:
1) Texas has agreed to roll the Long Horn Network into a Big 12 network with ESPN's consent. Texas annual payment from the LHN will be guaranteed by the league and by ESPN, so payouts will likely be unequal across the league...but still a nice increase for all teams.
2) Uconn and Cincinnati will be added to the conference to add content and return the league to 12 teams. Very unclear how divisions will be set up. Also, both UCONN and Cinci will have a very extended period in which their payouts are lower than the rest of the league.
3) A CCG game will be added.
4) The GOR will be extended to at least 2030, possibly 2035 to match the current Longhorn Network contract.
5) Taken together, per school payouts will increase fairly dramatically under this plan...all Tier 3 and most Tier 2 content will go to the league network. Setting up the network over the LHN framework will make the process easier, less costly and much quicker than otherwise.
6) After setting up the network and going to 12 teams, there are at least 2 and perhaps 4 ACC teams that are VERY interested in joining a league with its own network.
Honestly, though he's been a bit of a pain, you thank Boren for getting things moving. Texas very much wants to keep the Big 12 alive with themselves as its epicenter, and they need OU to keep things viable...so OU's complaining has lead to action. All in all, this is nothing but good news for schools like ISU and KSU in particular.
I also posted this on ISU confidential, FYI.
Here's the high points:
1) Texas has agreed to roll the Long Horn Network into a Big 12 network with ESPN's consent. Texas annual payment from the LHN will be guaranteed by the league and by ESPN, so payouts will likely be unequal across the league...but still a nice increase for all teams.
2) Uconn and Cincinnati will be added to the conference to add content and return the league to 12 teams. Very unclear how divisions will be set up. Also, both UCONN and Cinci will have a very extended period in which their payouts are lower than the rest of the league.
3) A CCG game will be added.
4) The GOR will be extended to at least 2030, possibly 2035 to match the current Longhorn Network contract.
5) Taken together, per school payouts will increase fairly dramatically under this plan...all Tier 3 and most Tier 2 content will go to the league network. Setting up the network over the LHN framework will make the process easier, less costly and much quicker than otherwise.
6) After setting up the network and going to 12 teams, there are at least 2 and perhaps 4 ACC teams that are VERY interested in joining a league with its own network.
Honestly, though he's been a bit of a pain, you thank Boren for getting things moving. Texas very much wants to keep the Big 12 alive with themselves as its epicenter, and they need OU to keep things viable...so OU's complaining has lead to action. All in all, this is nothing but good news for schools like ISU and KSU in particular.
I also posted this on ISU confidential, FYI.
