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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mountaineer Steve" data-source="post: 129567641" data-attributes="member: 1495432">What Texas needs from the Big 12 when it comes to expansion, the Longhorn Network<a href="http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/college-sports/texaslonghorns/2016/05/12/carlton-texas-needs-big-12-comes-expansion-longhorn-network">http://sportsday.dallasnews.com/college-sports/texaslonghorns/2016/05/12/carlton-texas-needs-big-12-comes-expansion-longhorn-network</a>Bowlsby obliquely acknowledged at last week's meetings in Phoenix that some schools carry more weight in discussions than others."I think you can probably figure that one out," Bowlsby said.Here are two nuggets of information gleaned this week from multiple sources familiar with Texas' thinking on the issues: -- Expansion. The UT administration isn't necessarily opposed to moving beyond the current 10 teams. But - and you knew a but was coming - Texas wants quality candidates if the Big 12 does add schools, ones that bring value athletically and just as much academically.Does BYU qualify? UConn? Cincinnati? Who passes muster?-- A conference network. Don't expect Texas to give up on its Longhorn Network deal with ESPN without a whole lot of convincing. And maybe not even then, especially if it involves a public perception of capitulation to Oklahoma.Texas officials still view the network as a huge plus providing exposure to athletics and the campus. There's the economic component, with Texas averaging about $15 million over the life of the 20-year contract, signed in 2011. Don't expect Texas to take less on any deal to fold LHN in a Big 12 network and Texas may not want to give up an iron-clad contract for a bunch of projections, no matter what other Big 12 schools want.Coming up with a Big 12 network model that can reimburse Texas is probably going to require some heavy lifting.For fans of expansion looking for a positive takeaway, Fenves' background as an engineer is likely to make him more open to Big 12 discussions."He's a data guy," said one source.Although by the time the Big 12 convenes again May 31-June 3 in Las Colinas, things should be starting to crystallize, Bowlsby acknowledged."We're kind of ramping up and everybody knows we're going to have to make decisions and that means that everybody can't be open-minded," Bowlsby said. "They'll begin to distill their thinking and develop institutional positions. And it's probably likely to be the fact that not everybody will agree."</blockquote>

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