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Bob Bowlsby details the Big 12 financial loss of Texas, Oklahoma exits
By Keith Farner
Published:
Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby spent part of Monday before the Texas state legislature to discuss the future of college sports in Texas in the wake of the Longhorns pending move to the SEC.
Bowlsby estimates that the remaining eight Big 12 schools could lose $14 million per year in TV revenue upon Oklahoma and Texas’ departure. Bowlsby added that Big 12 distributes roughly $28 million in TV money per school, and OU/Texas account for about 50 percent of that, Sam Khan, Jr. of The Athletic reported.
The meeting was called the “Future of College Sports in Texas” and Bowlsby added that Texas and Oklahoma “deceived and undermined” the conference.
After a back-and-forth last week, Bowlsby said, “he has agreed to not further discuss the ESPN situation publicly. It’s a mutual agreement for “both parties best interests,” per Darby Brown of KWTX.
Along with Bowlsby, others testifying at the hearing were Baylor’s Linda Livingstone, Mack Rhoades and representatives from TCU, Texas Tech and UT. Texas A&M and ESPN representatives declined to participate.
Bowlsby also mentioned that a potential merger with another conference as one of the possibilities the Big 12 will consider, however, “We believe the eight of us staying together is the best approach in the near term.”
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
