Big 12 Conference to explore selling naming rights to a sponsor

Every day, it seems that the world of college sports gets a bit more distant from where it used to be. Whether that is for better or for worse is in the eye of the beholder. But one thing we now know is that another step may be taken soon to change the landscape of college sports in a bit more of a lighthearted yet financially impactful way, and it appears the Big 12 Conference is on the forefront of that change.

ESPN reporter Pete Thamel broke the news on Thursday that the name "Big 12" may not be long for the future as the conference is actively shopping around to sell the naming rights of the conference to a business sponsor in what would be a historical development in collegiate athletics.

"The Big 12 is exploring selling its naming right to a title sponsor, with potential revenue being hundreds of millions over the course of the deal," Thamel announced on social media site "X". "It would be one of the largest commercial deals in collegiate athletics history. "

According to Thamel, such a deal would replace the "Big" in the conference's name with the sponsor's name, and the move could potentially generate millions of dollars annually for each individual athletic department within the conference.

It was also noted their have been in-depth discussions in the conference on the matter for up to six months now, and that a final decision is expected to be made in the upcoming months. It wouldn't be surprising if the conference moves quick to secure the extra money for this upcoming athletic season.

It may be hard to imagine now, but come this December, programs such as WVU, Kansas State, Utah, and Arizona could be jockeying for a spot in the "Barstool 12 Championship" or "Amazon 12 Championship." And while unlikely, it's sure fun for West Virginians to imagine a "Little General 12 Championship" or a "Tudor's 12 Championship."

What do you think the new conference name should be? Let us know on social media!

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