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Source: Big 12 decides not to expand conference

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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After a three-month investigation into expansion by the Big 12, the conference has decided against expanding at this time, SI's Peter Thamel reports.

The league’s presidents met at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport for a working dinner on Sunday night and had an all-day meeting scheduled from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.. 

Eleven schools—Air Force, BYU, UCF, Cincinnati, Colorado State, UConn, Houston, Rice, SMU, South Florida and Tulane—were being considered for addition to the Big 12. Houston, BYU and Cincinnati were considered the front runners for conference selection.

Thamel previously reported that both ESPN and Fox may have helped persuade the league not to expand, citing that adding more teams would dilute the product on the field and in turn, on television. He added on Monday that league officials were still discussing adding additional TV revenue from the two networks.

The TV partners would pay the Big 12 not to expand, eliminating the pro rata clause in the TV contract that allows the league to receive roughly $25 million for every school the conference adds. ESPN and Fox thought of this clause as a loop-hole for the league to get more money from the networks.  

– Andrew Vailliencourt

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