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Big 12 TV Contract Could Play Major Role In Conference's Future, Possible Expansion

The Big 12's TV contract in eight years will "be close to ending, opening up what could be the next major shift in the conference or a continued show of league stability well into the future," according to Ryan Aber of the OKLAHOMAN. It is not too "far into the future to consider what might happen with the conference once that television contract ends after" the '24 football season. The conference schools in '11 "signed a six-year deal giving their television rights to the conference, virtually eliminating any thought of leaving the Big 12 before the deal ended." Aber noted most Power Five conference TV deals "expire around the same time" -- the Big Ten in '23, Pac 12 in '24 and ACC in '27. The SEC "is the outlier, with its contract not expiring" until '34. But the climate in which the new deals are negotiated is "likely to be much different than the last time these deals came up." As ESPN's subscriber base slips the "amount of money it is willing to pay for rights figures to fall as well." That fact "was the biggest contributing factor" in Oklahoma President and Big 12 BOD Chair David Boren and Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby "virtually ending any thought of a Big 12 Network." That also "caused a slowing of talk of expanding." The Big 12's leaders "decided earlier this month to continue expansion discussion but the words of Boren -- and, perhaps more importantly" Texas men's AD Mike Perrin -- "seemed to indicate that expansion was unlikely." Boren just a few months ago was "forceful in saying the issues of expansion, the creating of a conference network and the addition of a conference championship game were tied together." But after the vote to "re-institute the championship game without action on expansion, Boren's tone had changed" (OKLAHOMAN, 6/11).

ASKING TOO MUCH? In West Virginia, Chuck Landon noted as part of C-USA's new TV deal, conference officials "aren't just asking member schools to stream all their sporting events to the internet as well as upgrading the in-house telecasts, they are 'requiring' it." Considering how "poorly equipped most C-USA schools are in this area," that is "quite a bit to ask." Landon: "How are the under-equipped schools supposed to produce these telecasts?" Although C-USA officials "negotiated a television contract that was so lousy it will cost each member $900,000," the conference "expects the schools to fund these new upgrades" (Huntington HERALD-DISPATCH, 6/11).

CHIEF RATINGS: In Tallahassee, Safid Deen writes the ACC remains "in limbo" while the SEC, Big Ten and Pac-12 "continue to reap the financial benefits of a conference network." Florida State AD Stan Wilcox on Thursday "shared some glowing optimism with members" of FSU's athletic BOD "regarding the prospects of an ACC network." FSU has risen in revenue rating from 17th in the nation in '10 to 13th in '15, and Wilcox "pointed out that all of the schools ahead of FSU ... except for Oklahoma were backed by television networks." Unlike the Big 12, the ACC does "not need to add new schools into the mix in hopes of gaining television viewers in different markets." The SEC Network and Texas' Longhorn Network have "continued to be profitable ventures," while the Big Ten has "also benefited from its partnership with Fox Sports." Deen: "The ACC can do the same." Wilcox said, "If you're an ACC consumer, they all want one. I'm pretty sure there's still a demand there for it" (TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT, 6/13).

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