Eight Big 12 members vote to grant media rights

Missouri abstained. This comes today as there are reports that TCU has been invited to join the Big 12. Observers have pointed to the TV rights grant as the only way to save the Big 12. That process is happening right now, and with a couple of good additions the Big 12 could easily survive at least into the near future. Such a grant of rights would make departures by members impossible, and would end all rumors of Texas, Oklahoma or anybody else leaving the conference. Realignment rumors will shift to the Big East, which either needs to quickly expand, or which could cease to exist as a football conference, which has implications for Notre Dame as well, but that is a discussion for another time.

TCU is an interesting case because I expected them to uphold their promise to join the Big East even in the face of a Big 12 invite, but since Pitt and Syracuse have left the future of the Big East football conference in doubt, TCU may have to rethink their decision. The Big 12 is throwing them a life raft. They are no longer stuck joining the sinking ship that is the Big East. Even if the Big East somehow survives, it might not be able to guarantee BCS AQ status into the future, and that is a serious consideration for a school like TCU that wants access to an automatic bid.

The Big 12 is widely expected to look at BYU as a potential expansion partner, and if Missouri leaves, TCU joins, and BYU joins the Big 12 is back up to an even 10 teams and appears to be in solid shape going forward, but the Big East should be worried.