Big 12 Considers Expansion

In a unanimous vote Tuesday in Irving, Texas, presidents of the Big 12 schools authorized the conference to explore expansion.

Big 12 board of directors chairman David Boren, the University of Oklahoma president, said, “It’s a statement from the board we want to move forward. I would say, yes, it’s a forward step, it’s a positive step. … It’s not a definite decision, but there is momentum for the board to very seriously consider this possibility.”

The Big 12 currently includes 10 universities. SI.com quoted an anonymous conference source who said adding at least two schools is “nearly definite” and adding four schools is “highly possible.”

The conference dropped from 12 schools to 10 earlier this decade when Texas A&M, Missouri, Colorado and Nebraska left and West Virginia and TCU entered.

Possibilities for Big 12 expansion potentially could include Houston, Cincinnati, BYU, Memphis, Central Florida, South Florida, Connecticut, Boise State, Colorado State and Tulane. According to SI.com, the leading candidates are BYU, Cincinnati and Connecticut.

“We’ve been contacted by a number of institutions and I would imagine after this news breaks we’ll be contacted again,” Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said. “We’re looking for members that will grow over time as we grow, bring stability and have a high top end.”

The decision came one day after the Atlantic Coast Conference announced it is starting its own television network, following the lead of the Southeastern Conference, the Big Ten and the Pac-12.

Asked if the ACC’s TV deal impacted the Big 12’s plans, Boren said, “Of course. … It indicates we live in a fast-changing world.”