UCF to the Big 12?
Ernie Villicana
Next-Gen Entertainment & Sports Platform Growth Strategist / Innovator / Alliance Builder
UCF to the Big 12?
In 2016, the Big 12 spent months weighing the idea of expansion, only to ultimately decide to stand pat at 10 teams. One of the applicants they considered? UCF, which felt like a sleeping giant at the time (recruiting hot bed, huge TV market).
- Two years, 25 straight wins, and one "national championship" later, the Knights have graduated from "sleeping giant" to "national powerhouse."
Which begs the question: Should the Big 12 revisit expansion this offseason and add UCF? The Athletic's Stewart Mandel says yes (subscription), and I agree with him.
- Furthermore, the Big 12 should make this move as soon as possible... because a new development means the Knights might not be available for long.
Driving the news: According to SportsBusiness Journal, the American Athletic Conference (AAC), of which UCF is a member, is asking schools to sign a grant-of-rights agreement that would lock them into the conference for years to come.
- Basically, the AAC — whose current contract with ESPN expires in 2020 — wants to be able to assure its next TV partner(s) that schools like UCF, Cincinnati, Houston, Memphis, and USF won't bail on them.
- To get those schools to sign, the conference is exploring the idea of letting them receive more revenue than other members (the Mountain West does this with Boise State).
UCF's tough decision: Do the Knights sign the AAC agreement, which would pay them ~$10 million a year for the foreseeable future? Or do they hold out in hopes of joining the Big 12, which would pay them nearly $40 million a year and instantly heighten the school's brand?
- The latter is obviously a home run, but with the Big 12 having yet to show any interest, the Knights would be gambling on something that, to this point, shows no signs of actually happening. Weird spot to be in.
The big picture: With TV money playing an increasingly large role in schools' decision-making, conference realignment is the new norm. If you think this is crazy, prepare yourself for "Texas to the SEC?" hot takes once the Big 12's own deals with ESPN and FOX expire in 2025.