Big 12 set to distribute nearly $35 million per school

From a financial standpoint, the Big 12 Conference is in fine shape — commissioner Bob Bowlsby announced on Friday that the league will distribute $34.8 million to each member institution.

According to Bret McMurphy, formerly of ESPN, that’s an increase of 15 percent from last season.

With the addition of third-tier rights, that means that the Texas Longhorns will receive $10.98 million from ESPN for the Longhorn Network, plus the three-percent increase every year since 2011, bringing the total to around $50 million.

So despite all the issues with the conference, most specifically perception issues that influence selection for the College Football Playoffs and the league’s reputation as perilously close to major changes once the current grant of rights expires, money is not one of them.

The league will continue to struggle to recruit given the Big 12’s geographic footprint, but it won’t be hurting for revenue over the coming years.

Will that revenue be enough to keep Texas and Oklahoma in the conference 10 years from now? Probably not, but both schools will have benefited tremendously from the league from a financial standpoint.