a bigger cut [which it sounded like the other schools wouldn't go for], or an easy out whenever we want it."

But that makes me wonder how much stomach the big 2 or the little 8 had for playing chicken. UO&UW aren't going to the BigTen any time extremely soon, so their only other option is the Big12, and they don't want to play all their roadies in Texas (or worse). The other Pac schools know that. But the little 8 also have a LOT more to lose if their big 2 abandon them. It IMMEDIATELY makes them G6, AND whatever paltry number their media deal would have been is cut in half.

You gotta think UO and UW don't think they're gonna be with either "liferaft" conference for long, so maybe they don't care much about a modest $ difference, and are willing to do the heavy lifting in the Pac for "only" the same slice as everyone else gets until their call-up.