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With realignment, conference names have increasingly lost their connections to the conferences themselves (the Big Ten and Big 12 are up to 18 and 16 members, respectively). A new development could negate that numbering problem — but at what cost?
Money, Money, Money
Who’s excited for the Allstate Conference?
Sponsorships are nothing new in college football, especially around bowl season (Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl … the list goes on). These days, we even see ads on players’ social feeds. But news last week suggests sponsorships could go much further.
As reported by The Athletic’s Justin Williams, the Big 12 and its member schools have had initial discussions on a potential private equity investment into the conference and on a potential renaming. Allstate (how could we forget about the Allstate Sugar Bowl?) is considered the frontrunner for the latter, with one possible conference name being the Allstate 12 Conference. The discussions are driven by the Big 12’s desire to maximize revenue as it lags behind the emerging Power 2 of the Big Ten and SEC in TV money, College Football Playoff payouts and more.
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“You wonder why people haven’t done that already,” Baylor marketing professor Kirk Wakefield told The Athletic of sponsoring conference names. “It’s such an obvious opportunity.” Wakefield runs a research firm that studies sponsorship impacts for sports league and brands, and provided interesting context for why this discussion is happening now and what it could mean for the future of college athletics.
The Big 12 isn’t the only conference exploring its naming options, either. At least three Group of 5 conferences — the American, Conference USA and the Mountain West — have also held discussions on the topic, The Athletic’s Chris Vannini reported.
Of course, conferences have changed names in the past, often updating based on membership numbers (the Pac-12 was once the Big Five, for instance). And the Big 12’s name is still fairly young, originating in 1994 when the Big 8 merged with the remains of the Southwest Conference. But still …
How much would this change bother you? Vote in today’s Until Saturday poll. And while we’re on the topic of the Big 12, let’s look at the future of the league’s title game.
Hitting the Road?
From Sam Khan Jr.’s Big 12 mailbag:
Timothy D.: Do you believe the Big 12 football championship game should remain in Arlington, Texas, or is the time right to move it around with the influx of teams from the West?
Sam: Last year, the conference extended its current contract with AT&T Stadium through the 2030 season, so it appears it’ll stay put for the foreseeable future.
As a native Texan, I’m biased and I like it where it is. It’s an excellent facility that does a good job of hosting and is in a metro area with two major airports. And the state of Texas has been an integral part of the Big 12 since its inception and will continue to be with four of the schools located there.
But I can see the argument for another location, like Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, where Big 12 media days will be held next month. That’s a newer venue in an attractive location that’s also accustomed to big events and it makes sense with the new western flank of the league. Kansas City — which has long hosted the Big 12 basketball tournament — would also be a good option, but I wonder how open league officials would be to having the conference title game at an outdoor venue. Domed or retractable roof stadiums seem to be the preferred choice for power conference title games these days.
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Personally, a Big 12 championship game at Arrowhead Stadium sounds awesome to me.
Read the rest of Sam’s Big 12 mailbag here.
Quick Snaps
A bill seeking to block college athletes from employee status advanced to the House of Representatives last week after a committee voted along party lines (Republicans in support and Democrats against).
- The bill presents an added layer to the conversation on college athlete compensation — which has intensified in the wake of the proposed settlement to the House v. NCAA lawsuit — but there’s still a long way to go before it would be passed as law.
Ohio State has had one of the most successful offseasons of any program in the country and currently has the No. 1 recruiting class in the 2025 cycle. Can the Buckeyes keep that ranking through signing day? Cameron Teague Robinson has more. Trap games for 2024? Plus, a vibe check at Notre Dame. Listen to both discussions on the Until Saturday podcast.
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(Top photo: Jay Biggerstaff / USA Today)
