Big 12 Warns Of Losing 50% Of TV Value Following UT/OU Exit
Aug 2, 2021, 11:11 PM
(Photo by George Walker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby says losing Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC could slice the value of the league’s next television deal by 50 percent.
Bowlsby testified at a hearing of Texas state lawmakers on the impact of conference realignment.
Officials from Baylor, TCU and Texas Tech were invited to testify.
Texas state senator Charles Perry to UT president Jay Hartzell: "If you're as big and great as you think you are, you should have made the Big 12 equal or better than the SEC. You didn't do it."
— Sam Khan Jr. (@skhanjr) August 2, 2021
Baylor athletic director Mack Rhoades says the impact is real.
He says there are concerns Baylor will sell fewer tickets, less merchandise and that it will be harder to raise money from sponsors and donors.
Time for Texas president Jay Hartzell. We'll see how much he's willing to share. Bob Bowlsby sitting right behind him. pic.twitter.com/3RLg0kwson
— Max Olson (@max_olson) August 2, 2021
Oklahoma and Texas are expected to leave the Big 12 in 2025.