Big 12 expansion: What Bob Bowlsby and conference's new members had to say about announcement
Jenni CarlsonThe conference's board of directors voted Friday to extend membership invitations to BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF. Here's what Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby and representatives from the new league schools had to say.
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Bob Bowlsby, Big 12 commissioner
"We are adding four great universities today. It's a good day. Two hundred thousand students. Three additional states. Forty million in population. Three of the best recruiting areas in the entire nation. Tremendously successful broad-based athletics programs led by some really outstanding coaches and administrators, so it's a good day by any measure."
On when the new members will join the Big 12: "In the case of BYU, they will be coming in in 2023. In the cases of Houston, Cincinnati and Central Florida, they will come in no later than July 1, '24. So it could be '23, but that hasn't been determined yet."
On whether the Big 12 may add more schools: "Relative to future expansion, I think we're always going to be open to opportunities as they present themselves. We are living in a very fast changing athletic environment, and we will be at 14 (teams) for a while, will drop back to 12, and as there are targets of opportunity or as there are situations that dictate that we change composition, we'll be prepared to do those things."
On how adding schools might help the Big 12 should the College Football Playoff expand: "I think the outcome of the expansion of the playoff is still in flux at this point in time. I think it's a relative certainty that we will expand the playoff at some point in time. Whether it'll be a 12-team playoff or whether it'll be an 18-team playoff or whether it'll come in year 11 (of the playoff) or whether it'll come in year 13, I think those things are yet to be determined. ... Adding quality is always a good thing, and I think that these are very high quality football programs that are additive to the Big 12 and that have the ability, especially with an array of stronger opponents within the conference, I think we have an opportunity to demonstrate how we can play at the national level."
On whether the Big 12 basketball tournaments will stay in Kansas City: "We have a commitment to be in Kansas City through 2025. Kansas City runs an absolutely outstanding tournament. I think it's the best college basketball postseason tournament in the United States. Our league has been one or two in the RPI every year for the last 10 years, and most of the time, we've been first in the RPI. ... I think a very good basketball league will get even better, and we expect to be in Kansas City to contest the men's and women's tournaments."
Tilman Fertitta, Houston Board of Regents chairman
"All I can tell you is how excited we are at the University of Houston. I'm a fan of every school in the Big 12, and it's great that it's the Big 12 again. I love the four schools that the eight of y'all picked, and we're just thrilled what this is for the state of Texas. I love great rivalries. Our school loves great rivalries. I just can't tell you how excited we are to be a part of this."
Renu Khator, Houston chancellor
"We're so excited because the Big 12 is a great conference. Let's just start with the word 'big.' I love big. I love everything big. ... Everything big and bold. And I've seen the conference games and the level of competitiveness. It only will make us better. It will only challenge us to rise to new heights to dream bigger and to play at a higher level."
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Chris Pezman, Houston athletic director
"I've found myself failing for words at several moments over the last couple days as this has come to fruition. ... This has been a really special process, and the ability to be here and have the privilege to sit in this chair at this time with the amount of work that so many people have done over the years to get to this point, this isn't something that happens in a moment. It takes time and it takes a constant, concerted effort and focus. We're privileged to have that from our board and from our president and our administration, the support of our institution to make that happen and come to the culmination of today."
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Kevin Worthen, BYU president
"This an historic day for BYU athletics and the university as a whole. Our mission statement indicates that BYU is to be a place where our commitment to excellence is expected and the full realization of human potential is pursued. We strive to provide that kind of opportunity in everything we do, including our core academic endeavor, but membership in the Big 12 gives us an opportunity to reinforce that commitment for our student-athletes by allowing them to compete athletically and academically at the very highest level."
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Tom Holmoe, BYU athletic director
"Congratulations, Cougar Nation. This has been a long time coming, and here we are. I'd like to thank the Big 12 Conference for extending an invitation to BYU to join 11 other universities in a partnership that we pledge to give our very best to."
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Alex Martins, UCF Board of Trustees chairman
"We are happy to announce that just moments ago the board of trustees at the University of Central Florida unanimously voted to accept the Big 12 invitation to join the conference. It was a very historic vote that all of our trustees were very excited about, very confident about it. Really signified a significant day of history at the University of Central Florida."
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Alexander Cartwright, UCF president
"We have benefitted from being in Central Florida, being embraced as Orlando's hometown team and being in a part of a community that believes in magic and knows we can accomplish anything when we work together."
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Terry Mohajir, UCF athletic director
"I'd like to just list off a couple did-you-knows for our new friends in the Big 12. In 1963, UCF was founded. 1968 was the first time we held a class here. 1970 was the first time we had an athletics event here, and it was a men's basketball game. Nine years later, in 1979, UCF played football for the very first time. ... In 1996, we moved into the FBS level, so you do the math, you'll see that UCF has been playing FBS football for only 25 years. Imagine where the UCF football program will be after 50 years."
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Neville Pinto, Cincinnati president
"Thank you for believing in us. Trust me when I say, we will not let you down."
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John Cunningham, Cincinnati athletic director
"This is an exciting day for the University of Cincinnati and Bearcats athletics. It is the culmination of years of hard work and significant investment in our athletics program. The Big 12 Conference is a tremendous opportunity. It allows us to grow, to thrive and expand the reach of our Bearcats brand and continue to build championship-level teams."
