For two days in Phoenix this week, Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe and many of his athletic directors exchanged ideas with Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott and his ADs. Expect more discussions going forward on a mutually beneficial alliance/partnership. With the Big Ten expansion threatening to change the college landscape as we know it, even power conferences need allies. By working together on things like TV deals and football scheduling, the two conferences can maximize their strengths. Here's a quick look at the discussions and what it means: What's driving the talks? TV revenue. The current contracts of the Big 12 and Pac-10 looked competitive when they were signed. That was before the Big Ten Network, which allows the conference to pay each of its 11 member schools $22 million a year. In contrast, the Big 12 pays out $7 million to $12 million based on its revenue-sharing formula. The Pac-10 figure has been reported at $7 million to $11 million. To avoid a competitive disadvantage, each conference needs to close the revenue gap. http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/stories/050810dnspocarlton.3c2ffd7.html
