Big 12 Revenue Could Be Cut In Half With Departures

Last week, a report revealed that the Southeastern Conference could generate NCAA-like revenue with the addition of Oklahoma and Texas. But the schools’ move will leave a gaping hole for the Big 12 Conference, whose commissioner claims its TV revenue could be split in half.

Texas and Oklahoma accepted the SEC’s invitation last week, four years before their contracts with the Big 12 expire in 2025.

The Big 12 signed a $2.6 billion, 13-year deal with ESPN and Fox in 2012. There are stipulations stating that if any team leaves the conference, it would forfeit its future TV revenue through the end of the contract. 

Texas and Oklahoma’s departure for the SEC raises questions about the future of college sports.

• Bowlsby said the Big 12 distributes around $28 million annually in TV revenue to each of its 10 members. He estimates that the schools would lose $14 million of that per year.
• The SEC, on the other hand, recently said it plans to give each conference member as much as $70 million. It signed a $3 billion, 10-year deal with ESPN in December.

Reports suggest Big 12 schools Kansas and Iowa State were interested in moving to the Big Ten but were shot down by the conference.

Bowlsby has held discussions with the Pac-12 Conference about a merger with the Big 12, but says remaining members believe the “best opportunity is to stay together and find solutions together.”