Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby meets with Pac-12’s George Kliavkoff: Sources
The meeting could be a key first step in talks about whether the two conferences would benefit from strategically working together.
theathletic.com
for those without an Athletic sub:
"Discussions on a pact between the two could go in several different directions. One option would be a scheduling alliance between Big 12 and Pac-12 members. Bowlsby acknowledged this possibility on Monday during his appearance at a Texas Senate committee meeting on the future of college sports in Texas. Pursuing a merger with another conference is another possibility.
“I think there are options for us to partner with other conferences,” Bowlsby said Monday. “There may be opportunity for mergers. There may be opportunities to add members. There may be other opportunities that are currently unforeseen.”
One other possible solution Bowlsby floated while testifying in Austin on Monday would be the Big 12 working with another conference to aggregate their negotiating rights for the next TV deal.
“At this point, all options are on the table and nothing is a bad option,” one Big 12 source said. “We have to explore everything now. It’s not that we’re in panic mode, but let’s keep talking and keep finding out what’s out there.”
Another Big 12 source expects the Bowlsby-Kliavkoff meeting to be more of an “information download” for the Pac-12’s new commissioner to gain a better sense of what the Big 12’s eight remaining members can bring to the table."
