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"&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Big 12\u2019s three-month expansion exploration saga appears to be grinding to an anti-climactic conclusion. The league\u2019s presidents will meet at Dallas Fort/Worth International Airport for a working dinner on Sunday night and an all-day meeting from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Monday. Interviews with sources from the Big 12, the television industry and schools involved in the expansion process indicate the league\u2019s most likely outcome is not expanding.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;While that\u2019s not a definitive consensus, a new development with the league\u2019s television partners has made not expanding the most likely scenario. Multiple sources indicated there have been discussions with the Big 12\u2019s TV partners to pay the league not to expand. The purpose of the payment would be to eliminate the pro rata clause in the TV contract\u2014which the TV officials consider a loophole\u2014that enables the league to receive nearly $25 million annually for every school it adds. The willingness of ESPN and Fox to discuss paying to eliminate that clause and end future potential expansion drama in upcoming years makes not expanding the most likely conclusion.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u201CIf they put more money up and bought out that pro rata clause, we\u2019ll likely keep ourselves at 10,\u201D speculated a high-ranking Big 12 source.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;\u2022&amp;nbsp;THAMEL: Stage set for wild coaching carousel&lt;/strong&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;While the possibility of extra TV money will be discussed this weekend, it\u2019s unlikely any final agreement will be reached by Monday. The league\u2019s TV partners are not expected to be present at the meetings. However, the Big 12 has been in constant contact with ESPN and Fox as it figures out the contractual logistics of bringing back the Big 12 title game. That gives the league and TV officials an organic outlet for communication and an incentive to stay at the table and figure out a solution that works for all sides. (The league\u2019s current television agreement and grant of rights runs through 2025, so they are all stuck with each other for a while).\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;An announcement of the league\u2019s expansion plans is expected around 5 p.m. central time on Monday. The Big 12 is expected to inform leaders at the remaining&amp;nbsp;11 expansion candidates who interviewed for spots in the league of their decision at that time. There\u2019s a small possibility for an announcement of an amended television deal, but that\u2019s considered unlikely.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Multiple sources suggested that things could change once the presidents get together. This is the Big 12, where the unexpected and bizarre have become normal. Sources urged caution with definitive declarations about a league that can never seem to make up its own mind.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Also, it\u2019s impossible to predict the group dynamic of the Big 12 presidents. The reasons the league initially decided to expand haven\u2019t meaningfully changed. The league wanted more money, more stability and, of course, to get past the infamous \u201Cpsychological disadvantage\u201D Oklahoma President David Boren said characterized the league. But with BYU fizzling out as an expansion candidate and Oklahoma\u2019s board putting pressure on him, Boren\u2019s interest in expansion appears to have waned.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Since that became apparent, there\u2019s been little optimism about the league expanding. And that\u2019s the prevailing attitude in and around the conference heading into the meetings on Sunday and Monday.&amp;nbsp;\r\n&lt;/p&gt;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.si.com/college-football/2016/10/14/big-12-expansion-unlikely>