BREAKING NEWS: In a surprising move, the Oklahoma Sooners are anticipated to depart from the Big 12 conference in 2024

A recent report indicates that esteemed football institutions like the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners might not be part of the Big 12 as initially planned for the upcoming season. Instead, there’s speculation they could join the Allstate 12 Conference.

The Big 12 holds a prominent status among the Power Five conferences in collegiate sports. Despite widespread changes and realignments in the sports landscape, the Big 12 has been successful in attracting schools from other conferences, unlike many others.

In recent years, the conference has managed to entice notable programs such as the Colorado Buffaloes, Arizona Wildcats, and Utah Utes, aiming to enhance its size and consequently increase its value and financial resources for member universities.

Now, it appears that the conference is exploring innovative strategies to secure additional funding for schools like the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners. According to Action Network’s Brett McMurphy, discussions are underway between the Big 12 Conference and Allstate regarding the possibility of the insurance giant acquiring naming rights for the league. If finalized, the participating schools would compete in the Allstate 12 Conference starting from 2024.

However, the pursuit of financial gains doesn’t stop there. Another development, reported by Front Office Sports’ Amanda Christovich on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), suggests that the Big 12 is contemplating a private equity arrangement with CVC Capital Partners. CVC is a major investment firm with a global presence and a vast workforce.

These endeavors to boost revenue for conference schools could be responses to ongoing shifts in collegiate sports, including developments in name, image, and likeness deals, as well as a recent significant settlement that mandates direct compensation to athletes in all sports by their respective schools.