Brady Quinn assesses state of current Big 12 vs Pac-12

Brady Quinn believes the Big 12 is in a better position to succeed over the future than the Pac-12.

While both conferences have lost their biggest brands to the SEC and Big Ten respectively, the former Notre Dame star turned FOX Sports analyst had an interesting reason as to why the Big 12 is in a better position for future success.

“I think it’s the Big 12,” responded Quinn, when asked which conference was in better shape at the moment. “I think there’s a thought that in order to get into the earlier time windows to generate greater television revenue, you’ve got to be able to play some games in the central time zone. Eastern time zone. As of right now, the Big 12 is going to offer that, starting next year, and at least in the central time zone starting this year. You just don’t have that luxury right now in the Pac-12, unless you find a bunch of non-conference games over on the east coast. But again, once you get into regular conference play, those rights aren’t going to be worth quite as much.

“So, that’s the driving force I think behind all of this realignment right now. The money that’s behind it from the television networks. Unless you’re a conference that can find ways of getting those earlier time windows, like the noon window — which was the most watched window in college football last season, and has been a growing window for years — you’re just not going to be able to be apart of as big of a piece of the pie when it comes to the television rights deals.”

Of course, Brady Quinn knows all about the business side of football since he hung up his cleats. It’s not personal, the FOX Sports analyst just believes the Big 12 has a better model moving forward at the moment.

Brady Quinn makes case for further Big 12 expansion amid conference realignment

Continuing, Brady Quinn advocated for the Big 12 to expand further amid conference realignment.

“I think they do,” Quinn replied, when asked if the conference needs to expand. “And I don’t necessarily know that the strategy is strength in numbers. But one of the things that you heard commissioner Brett Yormark say multiple times today was, ‘A national brand.’ He continued to keep saying that. And I think what he means by that is expanding their geographic footprint, by potentially bringing in some teams that look like they’re in need of safe harbor.”

Quinn would go on to suggest that bringing in Oregon or Washington would make sense. That’s because they’re big brands that likely want to be in a better position moving forward. However, those aren’t the only two schools that make sense for the Big 12, according to Quinn.

This is also a conference, as Brady Quinn points out, that is going to have to play at 14 schools for a few seasons, during Texas and Oklahoma’s transition to the SEC. Because of that, they’re expected to have a division structure. Replacing those two schools with national brands would help to expand the brand of the Big 12 itself.