HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — Major developments in college athletics could lead to a substantial financial windfall. ESPN, sister network, reports that the Big 12 Conference is considering selling the league’s naming rights to a title sponsor. This branding deal, potentially worth hundreds of millions of dollars, might see the “Big” in Big 12 replaced with the sponsor’s name.
This means that teams like the University of Houston, Baylor, Texas Tech, and TCU could soon be playing in something like “The Disney 12” after the deal is finalized.
Houston Cougars head men’s basketball coach Kelvin Sampson praised Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark for his innovative approach to revenue generation.
“Just as schools need to find new revenue streams, so does Brett Yormark,” Sampson said Thursday via Zoom. “As the commissioner of the Big 12, he has a challenging task. It’s not easy in today’s landscape. That’s why I feel positive about the Big 12. We have a leader in Brett Yormark who thinks outside the box and is coming up with new ideas to keep us competitive. We can’t let the SEC and the Big 10 pull too far ahead. We need to find ways to stay competitive.”
According to ESPN, the Big 12 has been exploring the naming rights option for the past six months and is expected to make a decision soon.
In addition, CBS Sports first reported that the Big 12 has been in talks with private equity firm CVC Capital Partners about selling a 15% to 20% stake in the league. Sources confirmed to ESPN that this could provide the Big 12 with up to a $1 billion cash infusion, marking the first significant private equity investment in college sports.
