Ohio State Football: Big 12 commissioner makes allegations against ESPN

Conference expansion won’t just affect the SEC, but also the Ohio State football team. How the Big 12 navigates its inevitable implosion will affect them too.

The news of Texas and Oklahoma leaving the Big XII for the SEC, and what it means for college football has dominated websites, podcasts, and TV and radio talk shows. It certainly will affect the Ohio State football program too. Yesterday, things got even more compelling with the bombshell accusation Big XII commissioner Bob Bowlsby leveled at ESPN in a cease and desist letter sent to the network.

In speaking with CBS Sports, Bowlsby said ESPN helped lure Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC in order to damage the Big XII. He further alleges ESPN has worked with the American Athletic Conference to pursue some of the remaining Big XII members with promises of TV money in the future for the AAC. Bowlsby said,

"“I am absolutely certain ESPN employees have discussed and provided incentives for at least one conference to raid 3-5 members from the Big 12. In doing so, they are prepared to reward them with future television proceeds."

When Texas and Oklahoma join the SEC they will each owe the Big XII between $70-$80 million dollars. ESPN shares Big XII broadcast rights with Fox. If those other members leave and the conference collapses, Texas, Oklahoma, and ESPN are not obligated for any payments. Bowlsby expects the two schools to do whatever they can to not make those payments,

"“One of the ways the two schools and ESPN will seek to absolve themselves of the obligation is to destabilize the league and cause an implosion of the other eight members.”"

ESPN will have exclusive broadcast rights to the SEC before too long. You can bet if some or most of the remaining Big XII members flee to the AAC, ESPN will negotiate a hefty TV deal with them to have exclusive rights much sooner than later.

If that happens, you can also bet ESPN won’t have much trouble getting those who run the College Football Playoff to grant Power 5 conference status to the AAC. Keep in mind ESPN has the broadcast rights to the CFP.

Bowlsby is furious and demands ESPN stop trying to raid his conference. ESPN says the allegations are without merit. A conference commissioner is not going to make such a serious allegation without it having some ring of truth. All of this is leading to a huge legal fight.

Right now, none of this has anything to do with Ohio State and the Big Ten, but it is too big of a story to ignore here. Considering there is no love lost for ESPN by Ohio State football fans, I’m sure a lot of scarlet and gray faithful are enjoying this bombshell dropped by Bowlsby.