Big 12 Conference Says It Will Begin Media Rights Discussions Early With TV Partners

The Big 12 Conference announced its intention Wednesday to begin conversations on a new media rights deal.

Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark confirmed the discussions in a Wednesday morning statement.

"It is an exciting time for college athletics and given the changing landscape we welcome the opportunity to engage with our partners to determine if an early extension is in the best interest of all parties," Yormark said. The Big 12 has enjoyed a fantastic relationship with its multi-media rights holders, and I look forward to having these conversations."

OK. Here comes the briefest recap of this summer's movement in college athletics I could put together that led Yormark to make this statement.

Grab a calendar or the calendar app on your phone. You're going to need a calendar.

Yormark officially became the league's commissioner Aug. 1. His announcement Wednesday comes two months after the Pac-12 Conference lost USC and UCLA to the Big Ten and nearly two weeks after the Big Ten inked a lucrative seven-year deal worth more than $1 billion annually with CBS, NBC and Fox.

The Big Ten's new deal will go into effect beginning with the 2023 football season. The Big 12 Conference's current media rights deal with ESPN and Fox is set to expire in 2025.

In the wake of losing its two anchor universities in Southern California, the Pac-12 made a similar announcement to the Big 12's Wednesday statement back in June.

The Pac-12, whose media deal ends in 2024, is currently in discussions with ESPN and Fox, the same TV partners who share Big 12 athletic events.

What this all means: The Big 12 and Pac-12 are now seen on similar footing on several fronts. Both leagues were raided of their most profitable and marketable programs by larger conferences (the SEC and Big Ten), and they are now scratching and clawing for not only a brand new windfall of cash but also relevancy in the overall college sports landscape.

Yormark and the conference will see what the market thinks of an Oklahoma and Texas-less Big 12 in due time.