When Big 12 presidents and athletic administrators start assembly Thursday on the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport Grand Hyatt, would possibly as effectively convey your popcorn.
On the agenda is Gonzaga’s potential membership in basketball. That alone has realignment implications past the Big 12. There may even be some dialogue concerning the doable early exit of Texas and Oklahoma for the SEC.
Going into its first season with new members BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF, the Big 12 will focus on maybe its solely athletic yr with 14 groups. That’s a Texas-Oklahoma problem, too.
Expansion continues to be in play, particularly so long as the Pac-12 does not signal a brand new media rights deal.
Gonzaga’s candidacy
Basketball usually brings about 20% of the worth of any media rights deal. That’s why soccer is a lot extra necessary. It’s additionally why no Power Five convention has a basketball-only member.
But that is Gonzaga, a nationwide energy, and that is commissioner Brett Yormark, who’s wanting to make a mark in his new position and has been pursuing the college as a basketball-only addition. (The Bulldogs don’t play soccer.)
After spending 43 years within the mid-major West Coast Conference, there are indications Gonzaga desires to play up a stage of competitors — and receives a commission for it. Numerous experiences have the West Coast energy at the least contemplating its choices with the Big 12, Pac-12 and Big East all potential touchdown spots.
“I would assume if [the Big 12] wanted Gonzaga, they’d have Gonzaga,” an individual acquainted with media rights offers instructed CBS Sports.
Maybe. On the college’s finish, the choice is alleged to be largely up to coach Mark Few, who has guided the Zags since 1999. The program is at present in the course of rights deal with ESPN and CBS that expires in 2026-27.
On the Big 12 finish, Yormark has tried to promote his ADs on the idea of a basketball-only member. They have beforehand seen a presentation concerning Gonzaga’s membership, however it did not embody any monetary particulars. Don’t be shocked if the ADs have sought to worth Gonzaga’s inclusion with league media advisor Endeavor.
“I think that’s probably the lesson that I get taught over and over is, we underappreciate the power of our brand nationally,” Gonzaga AD Chris Standiford instructed the AP in December.
Gonzaga has negotiated getting a weighted share of NCAA Tournament income from the WCC since it’s far and away the league’s most constant postseason performer. From 1999 to 2019, Gonzaga produced greater than 70% of the WCC’s 75 “units” — income that comes from the NCAA for every match victory.
In the Power Five, most (if not all) match income is distributed evenly amongst faculties by conferences.
The attraction between the 2 events is clear. The Big 12 already is the very best basketball league. With Gonzaga, it could get even stronger. Membership would insulate the Zags in case the match discipline grows and the likes of the WCC lose automated qualifier standing. That was speculated when the NCAA Transformation Committee launched its recommendations final month.
In return for bringing its model, Gonzaga would get safety and entry to NCAA Tournament income that surpassed $32 million in 2020. The WCC and Gonzaga have remained tight-lipped about what the league and program are at present making in media rights income.
“Any money they get [from the Big 12] has to be more than they’re making,” one business insider stated.
As for the monetary influence, Gonzaga would not get wherever close to a full share of Big 12 income that now averages $31.66 million yearly. Some see school basketball growing in worth down the highway due to streaming. More curiosity from streaming means more cash.
The present dilution comes from an oversaturation. With 363 Division I groups, there are too many televised video games that do not imply something.
The largest hang-up could also be what to do with Gonzaga’s minor sports activities. It’s unlikely the WCC would enable them to stay within the convention with basketball not included. Joining the Big 12, if even a risk, would create vital journey bills with groups stationed in all places from Florida to West Virginia to the West Texas.
In 2019, when Gonzaga renegotiated its deal, it used suitor Mountain West as leverage. Now the events are greater, higher and richer.
What concerning the Pac-12?
Geographically, the Pac-12 makes probably the most sense for Gonzaga. But the league remaining unsettled in a number of key areas might drive Gonzaga, and a number of the Pac-12’s personal faculties, to the Big 12.
Pac-12 presidents and ADs concluded a recurrently scheduled Monday assembly with no decision in its ongoing media rights negotiations. The Pac-12 wants that to be settled earlier than continuing with the rest.
The present media deal with Fox and ESPN expires July 1, 2024. It is extraordinarily late within the negotiating course of (17 months out) to nonetheless be this distant from an settlement given there’s an expiring deal.
“I wouldn’t say [it’s] a concern,” stated a Pac-12 AD. “We’re in a process. … Panic or impatience isn’t going to make a difference.”
Meanwhile, the Big 12 — Yormark, particularly — stays involved in these Four Corners faculties: Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah. While Pac-12 packages have declared varied ranges of loyalty throughout this unsure interval, the longer these negotiations final, the extra questions will enter the minds of members. Several occasions, Yormark has stated publicly he desires a West Coast presence to unfold his convention throughout all 4 time zones.
Beyond Gonzaga and these Pac-12 faculties, San Diego State remains a Pacific option for the Big 12. A brand new Pac-12 deal may come within the first quarter of 2023 involving ESPN and Amazon.
The Texas, Oklahoma scenario
Texas and Oklahoma not too long ago made a suggestion to the Big 12 and Fox to go away the league one yr early for the SEC, sources instructed CBS Sports this week. It was rejected. The nature of the provide was not clear.
CBS Sports beforehand reported the Big 12 rightsholder would have to be made complete for shedding the Longhorns and Sooners early from its programming lineup. That may contain a series of nonconference games involving each faculties being performed in Big 12 stadiums as soon as Texas and Oklahoma be a part of the SEC.
Fox and ESPN maintain the linear broadcast rights to the Big 12 via 2024-25. ESPN owns 63% of the worth from the brand new $2.3 billion deal that begins in 2025. As such, it will get prime picks with the 4 greatest soccer video games every season, six of the highest eight, eight of the highest 12 and 12 of the highest 20, in accordance to SportsEnterprise Journal. Fox, which owns the remaining 37% of the deal, receives 26 video games per season. It isn’t clear whether or not Fox would get entry to a few of these ESPN picks if a deal was struck.
There was hypothesis that Tuesday’s launch of the 2023 Big 12 schedule was linked to the Texas-Oklahoma problem. In different phrases, nothing may occur till it was recognized when the packages would depart the league.
Not true. The league confronted a deadline of early February from their rightsholders to get the schedule achieved. Fox and ESPN wanted to begin scheduling video games themselves.
Meanwhile, time is operating out for a possible early exit. As CBS Sports reported, Texas and Oklahoma want to leave early, however the issues are quite a few.
The pair first made it recognized in August 2022 they want to go away the Big 12 for the SEC on the conclusion of the 2023 season. For now, they’re compelled by the present media rights deal to keep via the 2024 marketing campaign earlier than shifting on.
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