--Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said the uncertainty to all of this is unnerving. This has enough changing components that planning and execution are difficult right now. For the cancelation of the Big 12 Tournament it will be around $6.6 million lost and as a total is should be around $15-18 million range which goes directly to distribution, although that is a very rough estimate right now.
--Bowlsby said it would be very unlikely that the Big 12 Conference teams would hold any spring games and it’s safe to say that an additional spring practices would be in the same boat. They are looking at a window of 6-8 weeks for a return to activity so it makes it very unlikely. The Big 12 Conference doesn’t control when teams do spring practice or have a spring game so theoretically the teams could do it on their own but it seems like it’s going to be a while before there is any live activity on campus.
--If this would affect football it goes to saying that it would be significant. Football is a driver for fund-raising, television and revenue for each of the member schools. They haven’t done much modeling and planning because it’s too early but they plan on looking at it in around 60-90 days but it would be quite significant across the board if football is affected. But the next 60-90 days should give officials more of a sign if the fall is in jeopardy. Right now they are discussing what the summer could look like for sports and how this break could affect the structure. Bowlsby expects a transition window for one-two weeks once things do resume to get ready but they have to look at what all that would entail as well as how it could affect pre-season camps and other things.
--When it comes to a college football season, Bowlsby said that there could be consideration to what type of public assembly they could do. It’s possible that they could return to some form of competition before there were fans in the stands which obviously makes it available on television but the environment wouldn’t be the same without the crowd. Still, it’s hard to forecast that far in the future.
--Bowlsby said that they maintain an operating reserve for funding and money beyond that so they will be able to make members whole on distribution but how long it lasts is another story altogether. But it’s obviously a whole new ballgame if they find themselves not playing football because it’s the biggest contract and the driver of funding in the conference which would force major changes.
--When it comes to the extra year of eligibility for spring sports, Bowlsby said he could argue both sides of it. Anybody would have empathy for players not getting to play their senior years or compete for championships. The thing he is most concerned about is with the uncertainty of this there could be a rebound with the disease that could affect fall sports as well without a vaccine.
--The Big 12 Conference is expected to meet March 29 and will reevaluate some things which could open up some virtual meetings with players to discuss football. He believes there will be some additional guidance very soon but they felt like given the circumstances they needed to shut it down and be with their families. They are still trying to figure it out and they should get there sooner than later.
--It’s a mixed bag when it came to winter sport athletes getting back a year of eligibility.
--The name, image and likeness components that Bowlsby has been involved with through the NCAA working group are moving forward through teleconference. There are dozens of sticking points to do something or nothing but they all are interrelated.
--The early May meeting in Phoenix with football and basketball coaches will be held by teleconference.
--The media day for the Big 12 Conference hasn’t been given a whole lot of thought but is sponsored by Academy Sports. The event will be held in middle of July and is still on the calendar but it’s just another event that they will have to make decisions on based on the information they have.
--The motivation for past realignment was the capture of cable households and with a shrinking cable universe that is gone. You have to identify substantial new revenues first or you’re just cutting the pie into more pieces with the money distributed.
--Bowlsby said it would be very unlikely that the Big 12 Conference teams would hold any spring games and it’s safe to say that an additional spring practices would be in the same boat. They are looking at a window of 6-8 weeks for a return to activity so it makes it very unlikely. The Big 12 Conference doesn’t control when teams do spring practice or have a spring game so theoretically the teams could do it on their own but it seems like it’s going to be a while before there is any live activity on campus.
--If this would affect football it goes to saying that it would be significant. Football is a driver for fund-raising, television and revenue for each of the member schools. They haven’t done much modeling and planning because it’s too early but they plan on looking at it in around 60-90 days but it would be quite significant across the board if football is affected. But the next 60-90 days should give officials more of a sign if the fall is in jeopardy. Right now they are discussing what the summer could look like for sports and how this break could affect the structure. Bowlsby expects a transition window for one-two weeks once things do resume to get ready but they have to look at what all that would entail as well as how it could affect pre-season camps and other things.
--When it comes to a college football season, Bowlsby said that there could be consideration to what type of public assembly they could do. It’s possible that they could return to some form of competition before there were fans in the stands which obviously makes it available on television but the environment wouldn’t be the same without the crowd. Still, it’s hard to forecast that far in the future.
--Bowlsby said that they maintain an operating reserve for funding and money beyond that so they will be able to make members whole on distribution but how long it lasts is another story altogether. But it’s obviously a whole new ballgame if they find themselves not playing football because it’s the biggest contract and the driver of funding in the conference which would force major changes.
--When it comes to the extra year of eligibility for spring sports, Bowlsby said he could argue both sides of it. Anybody would have empathy for players not getting to play their senior years or compete for championships. The thing he is most concerned about is with the uncertainty of this there could be a rebound with the disease that could affect fall sports as well without a vaccine.
--The Big 12 Conference is expected to meet March 29 and will reevaluate some things which could open up some virtual meetings with players to discuss football. He believes there will be some additional guidance very soon but they felt like given the circumstances they needed to shut it down and be with their families. They are still trying to figure it out and they should get there sooner than later.
--It’s a mixed bag when it came to winter sport athletes getting back a year of eligibility.
--The name, image and likeness components that Bowlsby has been involved with through the NCAA working group are moving forward through teleconference. There are dozens of sticking points to do something or nothing but they all are interrelated.
--The early May meeting in Phoenix with football and basketball coaches will be held by teleconference.
--The media day for the Big 12 Conference hasn’t been given a whole lot of thought but is sponsored by Academy Sports. The event will be held in middle of July and is still on the calendar but it’s just another event that they will have to make decisions on based on the information they have.
--The motivation for past realignment was the capture of cable households and with a shrinking cable universe that is gone. You have to identify substantial new revenues first or you’re just cutting the pie into more pieces with the money distributed.
