That's an odd article. Bowlsby says they have no imperative to expand but then says:
"We’re smaller, we don’t have a championship game, we don’t have a network,” he added. “Right now, our Tier 1 media (rights) is slightly undervalued. Over the next 15 years, the delta between us and the other major conferences is going to get large.”
That sounds like an imperative to me.
Imperative for what? What schools will make up the difference in money? Without a network, there is no way to increase the media payout. A CCG will provide some money, but not enough to make a dent in the "delta." They now can have a CCG without adding teams, so it will cost them money to add schools.
Even with the network, the money won't come close to even. There is no way ESPN is signing on to a Big12 network paying out what they pay the SEC for theirs. The money just isn't in it. You know I love me some UConn and think you would add to the NYC/NE presence for the Big10/BTN, but it isn't the same for a potential Big12 network. The draw of NYC for the Big10 is the alumni presence that many Big10 schools have in the area. Michigan, PSU, OSU and even Indiana have a strong alumni population. Throw in UConn/Rutgers, and you have a winner. Does the Big12 (Texas) have enough of that presence to give them what they need? Or even enough to make it worth while for Texas?
Then there's to idea of who owns the media rights for those schools. Oklahoma sold their rights to Fox, Kansas sold their rights to ESPN. I believe the others are scattered around as well. How easy will it be to buy those rights back and at what cost? Will Fox/ESPN give a Big12 Network to the other without getting their monies worth? Can there be a Big12 Network without Texas, Kansas or Oklahoma? Not likely.
The Big12 is a dead conference walking and Bowlsby knows it. Teams like Oklahoma and Kansas are falling further and further behind the rest of the college sports world. They can't keep up with the facilities, coaching staffs and support. The lack of exposure they are getting is hurting their student body recruitment as well.
My guess is that Oklahoma/UConn will join the Big10 and Kansas/Cincinnati will join the SEC. Texas will keep trudging along with whomever they can get to fall in line with what they want.