ESPN responds to allegations from Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby

ESPN responded to the Big 12’s cease-and-desist letter on Thursday, calling it “unsubstantiated speculation.” The statement laid down a strong stance against commissioner Bob Bowlsby’s allegation of tampering with conference teams in order to accelerate the departure of Texas and Oklahoma.

These accusations and responses come after the announcement that Texas and Oklahoma will leave the Big 12 to join the SEC at the end of their current contract, which runs through 2025.

Big 12’s allegations

In addition to “potential involvement” with Texas and Oklahoma, Bowlsby cites “actively engaged in discussions with at least one other conference regarding that conference inducing additional members of the Big 12 Conference to leave the Big 12 Conference” in his letter.

CBS’s Dennis Dodd later identified the conference as the American and lists as many as five target schools.

Big 12: ESPN conspired with American to take “3-5” teams to AAC. Story up soon.

— Dennis Dodd (@dennisdoddcbs) July 28, 2021

The letter also accused ESPN of violating the amended and restated agreement related to the grant of rights by trying to breach contractual obligations to the benefit of ESPN.

“I have absolute certainty that they (ESPN) have been involved in manipulating other conferences to go after our members,” Big 12 Commissioner Bowlsby told The Associated Press after sending the letter.

ESPN released its response to the allegations publicly, reading the statement across its platforms on Thursday.

ESPN’s statement

“The accusations you have made are entirely without merit,” the letter read. “Apart from a single vague allegation that ESPN has been ‘actively engaged in discussions with at least one other’ unnamed conference, which ESPN disputes, your letter consists entirely of unsubstantiated speculation and legal conclusions. To be clear, ESPN has engaged in no wrongful conduct and, thus, there is nothing to ‘cease and desist.’

“We trust this will put the matter to rest.

“ESPN reserves all rights and remedies in connection with that matter.”

The letter was written by ESPN executive Burke Magnus, President of Programming and Content. He was also the recipient of Bowlsby’s letter.

Future implications

ESPN owns the SEC Network and reached a $3 billion deal for exclusive football broadcasting rights starting in 2024. The network also has an agreement with the Big 12 to split media rights with Fox. That deal ends in 2025, coinciding with the departure of Texas and Oklahoma.

Many believe that this altercation between the Big 12 and ESPN could accelerate the move for Texas and Oklahoma. Saturday Down South’s Matt Hayes says the schools could join the SEC as soon as 2022.

Image courtesy of George Walker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images