OK.... Lets play this out in an optimal hypothetical for BIG12
FIRST:
BIg12 aggressively secures its future by adding Utah, Colorado, AU, AState. While these programs are about on the same level as other programs in the Big12, adding #'s brings security & additional profitability(If they tap into monetizing their network). There is strength in #'s, and this will help put the Big12 to be the 3rd best conference.
SECOND:
BigTen & SEC compete to add Miami, FSU, UNC, & Clemson, so now the top 4 programs leave the ACC. Creating an opportunity for the Big12 to yet again be aggressive and add VTech, Louisville, Boston College, & GTech(Or whichever 4 programs offer the highest revenue & engagement potential).
This would put the Big12 at 20 programs, allowing for a 4 Pod & 2 division system with 5 teams per pod(10 teams per division). Putting teams in pods that have the highest rivalries, to increase ratings & engagement.
WVU would play every team in their pod every year, and 1 team from every other pod. So every 5 years WVU would play every team in the conference. Teams would also play 3-4 programs from the opposite pod thats in their division. But pods in the other division would just be 1 game.
This would be 9-10 conference games. If we played 10 conference games, this would increase the revenues for the conference, essentially 1 more game per program compared to other conferences. This would increase bargaining power for TV deals, because they are getting an extra week of advertising revenue, compared to just 9.
If they did this, WVU would only get 2 out of conference games. 1 of which could alternate between playing PSU, Pitt, Maryland, Kentucky, Tennessee, and the other game could be a tune up game vs EKU or WKU type of programs.
Or They could keep the in-division games to 3, which would keep conference games to 8, allowing for 3 out of conference, but this would essentially be the same as other conferences, and not really a feather in the cap from a negotiation perspective.
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1. Big12 could then create their own content & news channel & website, each program would have their own hour show+host, which would follow that programs news, recruiting, updates, etc. Similar to a sportscenter style show that would tie every program specific show together... This could be broadcast, live streamed, & highlight clipped for secondary views ad revenues, all allowing for another source of revenue that increases engagement consistency even in periods where football and basketball are not played.
2. One of the functionality services on this hypothetical BIG12 website, is they could launch their own in-conference Fantasy Football & Basketball. Where people could play fantasy using only players of programs in the Big12 conference.
3. A secondary betting site could also be linked, allowing people to bet online but only offer in-conference games/bets. Program vs Program, Player stats vs Player Stats, over/under, coin flips, 1st half, 2nd half, essentially every bet offered on major sites, but only for in-conference programs/opponents.
EX: I Bet $100 JT Daniels throws for more yards vs KState than Quinn Ewers throws vs Baylor... Obviously there would be a spread there too(Bet $100 to win $60 or bet $100 to win $250)...
OR I Bet $100 WVU will Beat the spread vs OkieSt to win $X
The betting site would be just like a normal platform, like Draftkings, etc.... But it would only offer Big12 games, players, & opponents.
For every bet that is using a players name, a player will receive a % of the fees of those bets. This would pay every player monthly or weekly, and increase a players NIL opportunities if they join a BIG12 program.
These three additional engagement sources would combine to generate a pretty substantial secondary revenue streams that would be split among the programs, and some held back for further conference monetization opportunities. You could offer certain fan packages too, where people pay for "insiders info or content", similar to Patreon, but more commercialized.
BIg12 needs to find a way to tap into their massive network's monetization potential, and one way of doing that is to offer new ways fans can actively engage with the conference and their preferred program.
If done correctly, and they diversify their distributions of content, services, & packages, this could generate an additional $10mill-$20mill per program and add another $5m-$20m for player NIL...
Determining the "Strength" of a conference merely by how much they receive from their primary TV deal, is an archaic mindset. There are so many ways to monetize a network now, and if BIG12 wants to remain in the conversation they absolutely must be innovative & creative in how they tap into the potential in the modern economy and not be so dependent on a single revenue source.
FIRST:
BIg12 aggressively secures its future by adding Utah, Colorado, AU, AState. While these programs are about on the same level as other programs in the Big12, adding #'s brings security & additional profitability(If they tap into monetizing their network). There is strength in #'s, and this will help put the Big12 to be the 3rd best conference.
SECOND:
BigTen & SEC compete to add Miami, FSU, UNC, & Clemson, so now the top 4 programs leave the ACC. Creating an opportunity for the Big12 to yet again be aggressive and add VTech, Louisville, Boston College, & GTech(Or whichever 4 programs offer the highest revenue & engagement potential).
This would put the Big12 at 20 programs, allowing for a 4 Pod & 2 division system with 5 teams per pod(10 teams per division). Putting teams in pods that have the highest rivalries, to increase ratings & engagement.
WVU would play every team in their pod every year, and 1 team from every other pod. So every 5 years WVU would play every team in the conference. Teams would also play 3-4 programs from the opposite pod thats in their division. But pods in the other division would just be 1 game.
This would be 9-10 conference games. If we played 10 conference games, this would increase the revenues for the conference, essentially 1 more game per program compared to other conferences. This would increase bargaining power for TV deals, because they are getting an extra week of advertising revenue, compared to just 9.
If they did this, WVU would only get 2 out of conference games. 1 of which could alternate between playing PSU, Pitt, Maryland, Kentucky, Tennessee, and the other game could be a tune up game vs EKU or WKU type of programs.
Or They could keep the in-division games to 3, which would keep conference games to 8, allowing for 3 out of conference, but this would essentially be the same as other conferences, and not really a feather in the cap from a negotiation perspective.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
1. Big12 could then create their own content & news channel & website, each program would have their own hour show+host, which would follow that programs news, recruiting, updates, etc. Similar to a sportscenter style show that would tie every program specific show together... This could be broadcast, live streamed, & highlight clipped for secondary views ad revenues, all allowing for another source of revenue that increases engagement consistency even in periods where football and basketball are not played.
2. One of the functionality services on this hypothetical BIG12 website, is they could launch their own in-conference Fantasy Football & Basketball. Where people could play fantasy using only players of programs in the Big12 conference.
3. A secondary betting site could also be linked, allowing people to bet online but only offer in-conference games/bets. Program vs Program, Player stats vs Player Stats, over/under, coin flips, 1st half, 2nd half, essentially every bet offered on major sites, but only for in-conference programs/opponents.
EX: I Bet $100 JT Daniels throws for more yards vs KState than Quinn Ewers throws vs Baylor... Obviously there would be a spread there too(Bet $100 to win $60 or bet $100 to win $250)...
OR I Bet $100 WVU will Beat the spread vs OkieSt to win $X
The betting site would be just like a normal platform, like Draftkings, etc.... But it would only offer Big12 games, players, & opponents.
For every bet that is using a players name, a player will receive a % of the fees of those bets. This would pay every player monthly or weekly, and increase a players NIL opportunities if they join a BIG12 program.
These three additional engagement sources would combine to generate a pretty substantial secondary revenue streams that would be split among the programs, and some held back for further conference monetization opportunities. You could offer certain fan packages too, where people pay for "insiders info or content", similar to Patreon, but more commercialized.
BIg12 needs to find a way to tap into their massive network's monetization potential, and one way of doing that is to offer new ways fans can actively engage with the conference and their preferred program.
If done correctly, and they diversify their distributions of content, services, & packages, this could generate an additional $10mill-$20mill per program and add another $5m-$20m for player NIL...
Determining the "Strength" of a conference merely by how much they receive from their primary TV deal, is an archaic mindset. There are so many ways to monetize a network now, and if BIG12 wants to remain in the conversation they absolutely must be innovative & creative in how they tap into the potential in the modern economy and not be so dependent on a single revenue source.