And the plot thickens.
The remnant Big 12 commissioner has accused ESPN of what can only be called a conspiracy theory (and not all conspiracy theories are false, this one just might be true, considering the players involved).
According to the theory, for several months, ESPN, which owns 100% of the AAC TV rights, has been working with two “unnamed” Big 12 members to move to the AAC. While unnamed, these are clearly West Virginia and Iowa State, the two teams with the least to offer to a new conference and thus the most likely to be lost in the shuffle.
Thus, with four teams applying to leave the league, the league’s contract apparently says it can just be declared “collapsed” and teams can leave without notice and without paying a exit fee.
ESPN gets Texas and Oklahoma more quickly. The AAC gets more money from ESPN, and two teams that have belonged at that level all along. WVU and ISU get a place to land where they can compete and absolve themselves of being left out. UT and OU get out of the Big 12 more quickly and don’t have to pay the exit fee $$.
Everybody wins.
Except Oklahoma State, Baylor, Texas Tech, Texas Christian, Kansas, and Kansas State. And Fox.