What We Learned From Yesterday’s Big 12 Press Conference

Shortly after yesterday’s Big 12 Board of Directors (BOD) Meeting, Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby and BOD Chair David Boren held a press conference. Listed below the highlights (if you even call them that):

• There were rumors before the meeting that the Big 12 would not be expanding any time soon, and Boren made it official in his opening statement.

• Boren also made note that individual schools were not discussed.
• On the topic of a Big 12 Network, Boren said that the market made that decision for the conference. In other words, a Big 12 Network is not feasible at this time.
• In Bowlsby’s opening remarks he stated that the one recommendation he made to the BOD was to bring the expansion process to closure one way or another.

• Boren stated that there is “no theological or abstract opposition to a grant of rights at the University of Oklahoma”.

• Bowlsby explained his process of communication with the candidate schools and that they expressed their “disappointment” in not being selected.

• Bowlsby said that the decision on whether or not the Big 12 will go to divisions could come as early as this week. The University presidents have granted the athletic directors the power to make this decision.
• On the site of the conference championship game, Bowlsby noted that this will most likely be determined in November, and that Arlington, Kansas City and San Antonio are in the running.

In conclusion, we didn’t learn much... we found out that the conference would most likely not be expanding before Bowlsby and Boren went live, we still don’t know anything more on conference divisions and we didn’t get much information on the site of the championship game.

As a side note, here are some of the statements released from the candidate schoolds: