The Big IIX has some complicated water to swim with turning the Long horn network into a Big 12 network ahead. Espn owns the Longhorn network, but FOX owns several other big 12 teams 3rd tier rights. It's going to be a 2 step process from here:

1- ESPN, FOX and Big 12 have to come to an agreement on how the Big 12 network will work and who buys who's 3rd tier rights. FOX owns the 2nd teir rights and several teams 3rd teir rights. ESPN owns the teir 1 rights and the Longhorn network. so If its to become a big 12 network ESPN will have final say. That is going to be tricky.

2- If that gets done then the Big 12 has to expand to have enough inventory (games) to show. ESPN will again have a lot to say about who and how many the conference adds--being that they are allowing the Longhorn network to become the Big 12 network and will be paying for a big part of it.

From here on in our Big 12 invite is firmly in the hands of ESPN. BYU will work with ESPN from every angle to help. Offering to role their contract into the Big 12 to try and save ESPN some money also offering their BYUTV capabilities to help ESPN with the new BIg 12 network costs. If ESPN wants BYU in the Big 12, BYU is in the Big 12.

If BYU does not get into the big 12 one of 2 things happened: either the Big 12 did not get a network and will die anyway. Or ESPN does not want BYU in the Big 12.

From here it's all up to ESPN---go get them TOM!