Big 12 Expansion Rumors: Lack Of ‘Consensus On Candidates’ Could Keep League From Adding New Members

Big 12 Conference expansion rumors are at a fever pitch as the league’s presidents head to Irving, Texas, on Wednesday, June 1, to discuss multiple issues facing the league. The newest rumors are now suggesting that the Big 12 will not vote in favor of expansion because the 10-member conference cannot come to a consensus on what institutions should be invited, according to multiple media reports.

Scout‘s website dedicated to the University of Texas Longhorns first reported the rumors that the Big 12 would decide against any expansion for the league — as well as vote down forming a conference network — during the upcoming meetings. Citing multiple sources, the report suggested only the possibility of a football championship game would receive consideration this year, according to the report’s author Chip Brown.

“The bottom line is there is no consensus on any non-Power Five candidates to add. And the league’s primary TV partners – ESPN and Fox – aren’t exactly knocking down doors right now to start a conference network with the current 10 schools, the sources told HD… As the Big 12 presidents meet in Dallas this week, the only scenario that could get serious debate/consideration this year is a football championship game, sources said.”

Big 12 poised for talk — not action — on expansion https://t.co/b6WVcFtiJr pic.twitter.com/Lk3q5GADph

— CA Sports (@memphissports) May 31, 2016

Indeed, the schools most often mentioned in rumors regarding Big 12 expansion may not help build on the $23 million in annual revenue each school receives from the league. Several media reports have suggested that the most important consideration for the presidents moving forward would be how much new revenue — especially from renegotiated TV contracts or establishing a league network — could be found by adding at least two new members.

The Dallas Morning News came to a slightly different conclusion than Chip Brown in a second article suggesting the Big 12 would vote down expansion. Citing a source familiar with the Big 12 Conference’s internal discussions, the report indicated that expansion could be voted on this year, with as many as eight teams supporting the possibility of adding new members.

“A source familiar with the conference discussions indicate that a vote on expansion is possible this year, although the Big 12 may or may not decide on specific schools. The source indicated that a majority of the Big 12 — at least six schools and maybe as many as eight of 10 — backs expansion, depending on the candidates. But part of the problem is the lack of a consensus on candidates, the source said.”

The University of Texas could be at the forefront in blocking the Big 12 Conference from moving forward with expansion proceedings. An Inquisitr report suggested that the Big 12 has seven institutions willing to proceed with expansion movements. Rumors are suggesting that Texas is heading a three-member bloc to oppose expansion because the Longhorns have the most to lose from inviting additional members to the Big 12.

Anywhere from 6-8 Big 12 schools back expansion, but one problem persists https://t.co/SmgcvbhQpe pic.twitter.com/E3cDDBnj06

— SportsDayDFW (@SportsDayDFW) June 1, 2016

Even Big 12 Conference commissioner Bob Bowlsby has tempered his expansion rhetoric heading into the meeting. After initially suggesting inaction could harm the conference in the long run, Bowlsby now seems resigned to that possibility ahead of the presidents’ meetings this week.

“I really don’t expect we’ll make any decisions at the spring meetings but that’s up to our presidents and chancellors. My guess is they’ll want to be thoughtful about it and they will get a whole bunch of data on a whole bunch of different topics and then they’ll want to go back to campus… and formulate a position on the different positions.”

Building a consensus on which candidates should be invited may indeed prove too difficult during the three-day gathering. That could be especially true as the Baylor scandal surrounding the school’s response to sexual abuse cases has cost its former president — Ken Starr — his position, The Inquisitr reported. Starr was an important figure in the Big 12 expansion process as he headed the composition committee — a group of three presidents charged with presenting their findings to the league about potential new members.

Big 12 Expansion Rumors: How The Baylor Scandal Will Affect Conference’s Decision To Add… https://t.co/xgGsy9mUGt pic.twitter.com/1dqFhjCtKj

— INQUISITR Sports (@InquisitrSports) May 31, 2016

As many as 10 schools have been named as potential candidates during the expansion process. Institutions often included in the discussion that are not members of a Power 5 conference include BYU, Cincinnati, UConn, Houston, Memphis, UCF, and USF. Rumors surrounding two Power 5 institutions have also been prevalent as media reports have suggested one of the two Arizona schools — the University of Arizona or Arizona State University — could be targets during potential Big 12 expansion proceedings.

Do you think a lack of a consensus about which institutions should be invited during Big 12 expansion proceedings will ultimately keep the league from adding new members? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.

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