The Colorado Buffaloes’ rumored return to the Big 12 Conference edged one step closer Wednesday.
Yahoo Sports reported that the University of Colorado’s Board of Regents met Wednesday, and is expected to meet again Thursday, “presumably around a potential move to the Big 12,”
The university has reportedly held numerous talks with the Big 12 about rejoining the conference. A charter member of the Big 12, Colorado left in 2011 for the Pac-12, but that conference’s financial and leadership crisis has led many teams to reconsider their affiliation.
Colorado could expect to reap much greater TV revenue from the Big 12. The conference signed a new media rights deal with Fox and ESPN last year that will provide conference members roughly $32 million per year. Meanwhile, the Pac-12 is struggling to find a new TV partner following the stunning departure of UCLA and USC. The uncertainty surrounding that situation has led to speculation there will be a mass exodus of schools.
In return, the Big 12 gets a major TV market (Denver) and a marquee figure in new Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders.
The Big 12 is also reportedly eyeing the addition of three other Pac-12 schools: Arizona, Arizona State and Utah. On July 1, the conference announced that Houston, Cincinnati, BYU and UCF would join the conference, replacing Texas and Oklahoma, which are departing for the SEC.
As the realignments in conferences continue to develop, it appears Colorado might be the next domino to fall.
[Ross Dellenger, Yahoo Sports]
