The landscape of college sports has changed dramatically over the last few seasons. Not only has the inclusion of Name, Image, and Likeness deals entered collegiate athletics but conference realignment has taken over as well.
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This sports season will mark the first that West Coast teams will play in the Big Ten, Big 12, and other conferences. The most notable moves have been both USC and UCLA entering the Big Ten to play alongside teams such as Michigan and Ohio State.
Texas and Oklahoma jumped from the Big 12 to join the SEC as well. The Big 12 responded by adding Arizona, Arizona State, Utah, and Colorado from the former Pac-12.
But it seems that the conference may not be done yet. According to Brett McMurphy of The Action Network, the Big 12 could be looking to add another team.
The report says that the conference could be looking to expand even more by adding UConn. If the terms can be agreed upon, UConn football wouldn’t be added until 2031, giving the program time to build itself up.
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UConn’s football team is currently an independent program but the other non-football sports play in the Big East Conference. For any move to occur, UConn would need to give the conference at least 27 months’ notice of departure.
They do have a $15 million exit fee that could come up as well. While football will have to wait to join the Big 12 if this were to happen, basketball and other sports could join as soon as the 2026 season.
Landing the powerhouse program, which is the UConn basketball team, could be massive for the Big 12.
They would join a conference with basketball powerhouses Kansas and Arizona. The Big 12 would instantly become one of, if not, the biggest basketball conference in the country.
The Huskies are currently back-to-back NCAA Champions and have continued sustained success over the years. The Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark has reportedly been impressed with UConn and wants to make them part of his conference.
“Yormark’s going to kick every tire possible,” a Big 12 athletic director said. “We’re open to looking at anything. UConn is a big brand, the biggest-branded institution in the Northeast.”
The conference tried to land UConn and other teams last year but terms couldn’t be agreed upon. It remains to be seen if this realignment will take place but it seems that the Big 12 is doing what it can to match the other conferences across the country.
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