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During the academic year that ended in the spring of 2014, the Big 12 paid out more money to its member institutions than the SEC — by $200,000.
One year later, the SEC holds an advantage of $9.4 million per school, according to a CBSSports.com report.
That’s approximately enough money for every school to pay the combined 2016 salaries of Kevin Sumlin and Les Miles, and still have the same amount of money left over as the Big 12 teams.
CBS attributes the vast gap to the launch of the SEC Network, also noting that the Big 12 didn’t make the inaugural College Football Playoff. The SEC did (Alabama), and also placed two teams into the New Year’s Six bowls (Mississippi State, Ole Miss).
The story did point out one caveat, as several Big 12 schools made additional money through third-tier media rights, including Texas ($15 million), Kansas ($6 million) and Kansas State ($4 million).
More from the report:
“The Big 12 has been exploring expansion, a football conference championship game and a TV network potential bundled together with the Longhorn Network in an effort to generate more money. But the big question is what schools are available that would substantially increase the league’s television rights value. Oklahoma president David Boren, who is pushing for expansion, told The Oklahoman this week that Big 12 presidents have agreed they need to decide by this summer whether to expand, create a championship game and/or start a network.”
Expect the Big 12 (and the Pac-12, and the ACC) to do everything they can to keep up with the SEC and Big Ten financially. If this revenue gap continues to exist, those two conferences will be at a distinct advantage in terms of facilities, coaching, recruiting and more.
In a vaccum, the Big 12 looks healthy. Commissioner Bob Bowlsby even told CBS Sports that he’s overpaid after making $2.6 million in the 2014-15 year — one million less than since-retired SEC commissioner Mike Slive.
But competition is the name of the game. And due to the current landscape, expect more change among the so-called power conferences.
We could see Big 12 expansion. But don’t rule out the Big 12 eventually merging with another conference, as it appears the “superconference” idea isn’t as theoretical is it sounds on first blush.
At any rate, it appears that the SEC launched its TV network at just the right time, and it has created a huge advantage for the conference.
An itinerant journalist, Christopher has moved between states 11 times in seven years. Formally an injury-prone Division I 800-meter specialist, he now wanders the Rockies in search of high peaks.
