Big 12's football TV partners are assured of receiving at least 57 games each season GETTY IMAGES
The Big 12's mandate that each team's lone non-conference game this season be played at home allows the conference to "come as close as possible to fulfilling its contracts with its television partners," according to Don Williams of the LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL. The conference is "obligated to provide 57 games of 'inventory'" for the TV partners. A conference-only schedule "with each team playing nine games apiece delivers only 45," though that number "goes up to 55 with each team playing a non-conference home game." Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec said, "At 45, it would be about $35 million of lost revenue." Williams notes non-conference road games "don't count toward the inventory." That led to the decision that all non-conference games be played at home (LUBBOCK AVALANCHE-JOURNAL, 8/5). The Dallas Morning News’ Chuck Carlton said ESPN and Fox “will play a role" in creating the Big 12 schedule, as the “inventory of games available has been reduced." There were some "very nice non-conference games” that were eliminated due to the schedule adjustments and the nets "want to have some sort of showcase each week” (“The Paul Finebaum Show,” ESPN Radio, 8/4).
