On Thursday multiple reports came out stating that the Big 12 was exploring selling its naming rights, with more details being revealed as the day went on.
Pete Thamel was one of the first to report on it, stating that the deal would reportedly be one of the most lucrative in college sports history, excluding media rights. It is currently believed that the Big 12 is negotiating with Allstate, in a multi-year deal that could pay the conference $50 million annually.
The Big 12 was formed in the winter of 1994, as former members of the Big Eight merged with former Southwest conference members, with play beginning in 1996. It saw major membership changes during the 2010-2013 conference realignment, which included the addition of West Virginia and the recent 2021-2024 realignment. As of the fall, the Big 12 will consist of Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, BYU, Cincinnati, Colorado, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, UCF, Utah and West Virginia.
The frontrunner for the name of the new name of the conference if the deal is officially reached, would allegedly be ‘Allstate 12’. With the potential financial upside of a sponsor paying for naming rights of the conference, other conferences may soon follow, as Conference USA is in discussion with Globe Life for the naming rights of its conference.
