Big 12 aiming to get 'Big Ten, SEC-ish money' to entice FSU and Clemson

The Big 12 is going all out in an effort to match the financial firepower of the Big Ten and SEC to land FSU and Clemson
The Big 12 is going all out in an effort to match the financial firepower of the Big Ten and SEC to land FSU and Clemson | G Fiume/GettyImages

The Big 12 is aiming to get its funds up -- seeking the use of private equity firms for funding and selling the conference's naming rights to the highest bidder -- in an attempt to match the Big Ten and SEC in financial firepower to land FSU and Clemson in the conference according to FOX Sports commentator Tim Brando.

"That's why, the private equity, the selling of the naming rights of the conference, all of that is designed to sweeten the pot to make it more of a big-time hit financially for . That's what they want. They want Big Ten, SEC-ish money…" Brando said on OutKick's "Hot Mic" on July 11 (h/t FOX News).

"They've got a wealthy group of people that are behind them and are really turning up the screws and are telling their people ‘we gotta find a way to get the hell out,' and Brett Yormark, I think, could be offering them something a little sweeter if he could pull a few of those public relations maneuvers he has in mind… But they've also got the litigation to overcome, and that'll take some time too."

Brando believes the Big 12 will be the most competitive conference in 2024, implying that the payout will be fair for every school unlike what the ACC is dealing with now where most schools lose the conference money.

"Top to bottom, bottom to top, it's gonna be the most competitive league in America," Brando prefaced before saying, "I think there's a very good chance they could have multiple 11-1, 10-2-type teams because of the way their scheduling works this year, which would be great… I think the top is really, really good. I'm high on the Big 12 this year, very high," Brando said. "And I think financially, if they can bolster the circumstances for Florida State and Clemson, then they might force the ACC, not just those two schools, but the rest of the ACC to think about joining forces so they can sweeten their financial pocket."

FSU and Clemson won't get special privileges in Big 12 because of Texas and Oklahoma

While the Big 12 is rolling out the red carpet for FSU and Clemson, what they won't do is get fooled again.

After Texas and Oklahoma left the conference high and dry in 2021, kicking off an era of mass conference realignment, the Big 12 will reportedly not give higher payouts to the Noles and Tigers.

"Obviously the Big 12 can't help Clemson, FSU, or any other ACC team with their exit, as that's completely on them," longtime college football radio host Greg Swaim prefaced before saying, "And I very seriously doubt that any ACC team that makes a move to the Big12 will get any additional revenue shares, as the B12 learned their lesson well with the Sooners and Longhorns."

The Big 12 has apparently learned its lesson. Unfortunately for the ACC, like the Pac-12 before it, they won't get a chance to once realignment starts signaling the end of the conference.