I think that the Big 12 adds 4-8 teams and revamps what they are doing. Can you replace a Texas or Oklahoma ? No but what you can do is add teams that can bring value , TV markets , recruiting benefits into the conference. This could keep the Big 12 a power conference and become attractive for say Fox to make a deal with and get a TV contract.
BYU - Great fan base good in football and basketball and has a national following and National recognition. They like to spend $$$$ on athletics academics are pretty good and fits the geographic footprint. Endowments from Alumni are though the roof , so could be a very solid pick up for decades.
Cincy- over the past 10-15 years has had very solid football and basketball success and would be a good travel partner with WVU. Also gets the Big 12 into the Ohio, KY, IND market. They would be an instant contender in the Big 12 and with the football crazed state of Ohio watching more eyeballs on tv sets would help the Big 12.
Central Florida- Huge university football driven school that has more than shown it can have success and compete against the Bigger conference schools and beat them. Sleeping Giant great TV market and gets the Big 12 into Florida. Central Florida has had the most games that has had over i million viewers than any other G5 school and could be a future cash cow school.
Memphis- Football rich area , Fed Ex supported school with a very competitive football and basketball programs. Would Bring an instant SE flavor to the Big 12 and that area of TN has a ton of talent. Fan support is more than solid, Academics are not great but getting better so this could be low hanging fruit for the Big 12.
Colorado St- Gets the Big 12 back into the market they lost when Colorado left. Work needs to be done there but the TV market gained could help with that.
Houston- Huge tv market, Huge student population , sits in the most talent rich area of Texas. Has shown that is willing to spend tons of cash on athletics, has had good success in football and basketball. Problem is would TCU, Baylor, TT want them to all of the sudden be on the same level as them? I often wondered why the Big 10 never looked at Houston as an add on. Much like Central Florida could be a sleeping Giant
South Florida- Another talent rich area in Florida. Has struggled in football and basketball in recent years but has the potential to be very good in football. Just added an indoor practice facility and new locker rooms weight room that brings them up to snuff with most every other D1 school. Problem is academics and competing with the pro sports teams of Tampa Bay could take eyeballs away from them.
Boise St- hey everyone likes these guys. Football crazed university and all around great program building story. Problem is it's in Idaho where the TV market is not strong and not sure how their academics holds up.
Heck Add Army Navy and Own the Army Navy game if you want to
So adding some of these schools keeps the Big 12 a power conference (much like they did in the Big East several years ago when teams left). Brings in new TV markets and solid competition with several of these teams being able to be perennial top 20 tams with a few to be perennial top 10 teams. This also allows a new deal with Fox who might want to make the ACC and SEC just a regional TV market and squeeze ESPN into a box. This is not what what many Big 12 fans wants to hear but look Kansas and Iowa St are not going to the Big 10 WVU is not going to the ACC and Texas Tech is not going to the PAC 12. So this might be the best alternative to keep the P5 rating and grow the conference and get a solid TV deal
BYU - Great fan base good in football and basketball and has a national following and National recognition. They like to spend $$$$ on athletics academics are pretty good and fits the geographic footprint. Endowments from Alumni are though the roof , so could be a very solid pick up for decades.
Cincy- over the past 10-15 years has had very solid football and basketball success and would be a good travel partner with WVU. Also gets the Big 12 into the Ohio, KY, IND market. They would be an instant contender in the Big 12 and with the football crazed state of Ohio watching more eyeballs on tv sets would help the Big 12.
Central Florida- Huge university football driven school that has more than shown it can have success and compete against the Bigger conference schools and beat them. Sleeping Giant great TV market and gets the Big 12 into Florida. Central Florida has had the most games that has had over i million viewers than any other G5 school and could be a future cash cow school.
Memphis- Football rich area , Fed Ex supported school with a very competitive football and basketball programs. Would Bring an instant SE flavor to the Big 12 and that area of TN has a ton of talent. Fan support is more than solid, Academics are not great but getting better so this could be low hanging fruit for the Big 12.
Colorado St- Gets the Big 12 back into the market they lost when Colorado left. Work needs to be done there but the TV market gained could help with that.
Houston- Huge tv market, Huge student population , sits in the most talent rich area of Texas. Has shown that is willing to spend tons of cash on athletics, has had good success in football and basketball. Problem is would TCU, Baylor, TT want them to all of the sudden be on the same level as them? I often wondered why the Big 10 never looked at Houston as an add on. Much like Central Florida could be a sleeping Giant
South Florida- Another talent rich area in Florida. Has struggled in football and basketball in recent years but has the potential to be very good in football. Just added an indoor practice facility and new locker rooms weight room that brings them up to snuff with most every other D1 school. Problem is academics and competing with the pro sports teams of Tampa Bay could take eyeballs away from them.
Boise St- hey everyone likes these guys. Football crazed university and all around great program building story. Problem is it's in Idaho where the TV market is not strong and not sure how their academics holds up.
Heck Add Army Navy and Own the Army Navy game if you want to
So adding some of these schools keeps the Big 12 a power conference (much like they did in the Big East several years ago when teams left). Brings in new TV markets and solid competition with several of these teams being able to be perennial top 20 tams with a few to be perennial top 10 teams. This also allows a new deal with Fox who might want to make the ACC and SEC just a regional TV market and squeeze ESPN into a box. This is not what what many Big 12 fans wants to hear but look Kansas and Iowa St are not going to the Big 10 WVU is not going to the ACC and Texas Tech is not going to the PAC 12. So this might be the best alternative to keep the P5 rating and grow the conference and get a solid TV deal