Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby is "likely to continue in the job for a while," as he "appears to be in line for another extension of his original five-year contract, already extended once" to '19, according to Chuck Carlton of the DALLAS MORNING NEWS. Bowlsby said, "I've had some conversations with our board of directors about extending my agreement, and I'm amenable with that. The people I've been with are great to work with and be around." Carlton notes the Big 12 "isn't breaking up soon," as its TV contracts with Fox and ESPN "extend through" '24-25. The grant of TV rights "agreed to by all 10 members, at the request of the networks, holds schools in place." West Virginia President and new Big 12 BOD Chair E. Gordon Gee said, "We have not done a good enough job in the Big 12 of saying that, 'Yeah, we're here to stay as a league with all of our component parts, and we're going to focus on the future.'" Asked if Oklahoma's decision to stay or leave at some point could represent a Big 12 tipping point, OU President David Boren said, "Nothing is happening in the short run. Obviously, we're committed to the conference. We're legally committed. We keep our word. We're not looking around to break our word." Bowlsby said that the Big 12 is "more than comfortable with its current membership and that he has 'no concerns' about any of his 10 schools seeking to leave" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 7/10).
BLOWN OUT OF PROPORTION? Bowlsby said that the conference's "decline has been overstated by the national media." Bowlsby said, "I don't really agree with that premise. It's not that difficult to be in the Big 12. We have a lot of things to be excited about. ... The reports of our demise are greatly exaggerated." DIEHARDS.com's Tim Griffin noted some of the national narrative "stems from the Big 12's aborted expansion plans." The conference last year "eventually chose to stand pat and did not proceed with the creation of a television network." Bowlsby: "There were a lot of different opportunities in front of us. Some of them, we've moved ahead on. Others, we decided we might be better served by waiting." (DIEHARDS.com, 7/5).
