Bowlsby cited the return of the Big 12 title game as one example of progress made by the conferenceGETTY IMAGES
The Big 12 Media Days began yesterday in Frisco, Texas, after "two College Football Playoff appearances by Oklahoma in the past three years and significant increase in conference revenue have helped project a stable image to a conference that most definitely needed one," according to Chuck Carlton of the DALLAS MORNING NEWS. Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby cited the "return of the Big 12 title game ('an unqualified success') as one example" of progress, "although two years ago the conference passed on a TV network and expansion beyond 10 teams." Also "helping the Big 12's position" is the nearly $36.5M per school the league announced in early June for '17-18, a number that is "expected to surpass" $40M next year. Bowlsby: "That's what conferences do. We're here to arm our members with the tools it takes to do the job and that's mostly money" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 7/17). In Oklahoma City, Berry Tramel notes "through six podium interviews" with Bowlsby and several coaches, there were "no questions about conference realignment." The Big 12 "not so long ago was either an unstable or sinking ship," but now "sails calm seas." Bowlsby said, “I'm as bullish as I could be about the Big 12." An "air of confidence and contentment now permeates" (OKLAHOMAN, 7/17).
PLACE YOUR BETS? When asked about the Big 12's approach to legalized sports betting, Bowlsby said, “We're very much in a wait-and-see environment right now. There's a lot of talk about integrity fees." He added, "What do we end up with if a couple of our states in the Big 12 footprint have legalized gambling and three others don't? What do you end up with if some say you can bet on professional sports but you can't bet on high school and college sports?" Asked if the conference could create an injury report as a result of betting, Bowlsby said, "As long as we don't get too far into the specifics of what the injury is and what kind of medication they may be taking and what the duration is and those kinds of things, some sort of simple system may work” (OKLAHOMAN, 7/17).
CFP EXPANSION MAY WAIT: Bowlsby said that there are "'plausible arguments' for expanding" the CFP to six or eight teams, but he "hasn’t sensed a significant push to alter the four-team format." However, Bowlsby added, “I expect that those discussions will be ongoing.” He said said that any potential change to the playoff "can’t be impulsive." Bowlsby: "We have to be a little bit careful moving way from it" (MANHATTAN MERCURY, 7/17).
DUE PROCESS: In Houston, Nick Moyle notes Bowlsby "declined to dive into the specifics of the troubling and still ongoing situation at Baylor." Bowlsby said, “We are doing a verification process that is not an investigation. It’s a verification of 105 recommendations that Pepper Hamilton put forward. ... I expect we will bring it to a close in the not too distant future.” Bowlsby last February announced that the Big 12 would "withhold 25 percent of conference revenues distribution from Baylor until completion of a third-party review into how the university has implemented changes to prevent sexual misconduct and more adequately address allegations of sexual assault and abuse" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 7/17).
FINDING A NEW HOME? Bowlsby announced yesterday that the Big 12 Media Days "will move" from The Star in Frisco to the Cowboys' AT&T Stadium in Arlington (TWITTER.com, 7/17).
