2010–2013 Big 12 Conference realignment

In all, four schools left during this cycle (Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska, Texas A&M) and two joined (West Virginia, TCU).

Beebe's plan showed that the remaining 10 schools could nearly double their television revenue if they stuck with the Big 12.

If Texas decided to stay with the Big 12, that had the potential to effectively end any further realignment in the NCAA, save for one or two moves in the Pac-10 and Mountain West Conference.

[10] Later that day, Andy Katz of ESPN.com, citing an NCAA source with direct knowledge of the negotiations, reported that many prominent figures inside and outside of college athletics, many of whom had no direct stake in their outcome, had worked to broker a deal that would satisfy Texas and keep the Big 12 viable with 10 members.

In an obvious reference to Texas, Loftin remarked, "That was sort of eye-opening, It was pretty clear how things worked.

(Texas operates the University Interscholastic League (UIL), the governing body for public school athletics in the state.)

Though the Big 12 made new rules to stop the high school telecasts (and the NCAA would ultimately declare that such broadcasts would be considered in violation of recruiting rules), the Regents decided to pursue an invitation to the SEC,[18][17] which had been considered the prior year during realignment discussions involving the Big 12 and the Pac-12.

[18] In early September, the SEC issued a formal invitation to Texas A&M, but it was dependent on the Big 12 and its members dropping any potential lawsuits related to the move.

The conference's press release also hinted at Missouri's imminent departure, as it was not listed among the "expected" ten members for the 2012–13 school year.

Before the realignment, the Big 12 had a contract with ESPN and ABC that ran through the 2016 season, and had signed a deal with Fox that would start in 2013 and run through 2025.

More significantly for the stability of the conference, the deal also includes an extension of the league's grant of rights from six to 13 years, to match the duration of the new contract.

[26][27] In May 2012, several Florida State University figures sent decidedly mixed messages about that school's future in the ACC, expressing at least some interest in a move to the Big 12.

First, on May 12, as the ACC's annual spring meetings were about to begin, the chairman of the school's board of trustees, Andy Haggard, blasted the conference's newest media rights deal, telling an FSU fan site that the school "unanimously" favored "seeing what the Big 12 might have to offer".

[28][29] On the same day, head football coach Jimbo Fisher told the Orlando Sentinel, "There have been no official talks, but I think you always have to look out there to see what's best for Florida State.

"[29] Finally, when FSU athletic director Randy Spetman was asked for comment on the rumors surrounding the school's future plans, all he said was "I don't know how Derrick got that.

[31] Ultimately, NCAA rules were changed to allow conferences to hold a championship game with only 10 teams causing the drive for further expansion to abate.