On-Field Success Leading to Record $225.9 Million in Revenue for Big 12

Remember when, in the heat of conference realignment, the Big 12 was on the verge of collapse, and everyone hated Texas because of it?

Well...part of that sort of remains true, but...yeah, good times. 

Quite to the contrary, the Big 12 is not only alive but thriving.

Jon Solomon of CBSSports.com reported this week that the Big 12 distributed $225.9 million to its 10 members during the 2013-14 fiscal year ending in June 30, 2014. The annual revenue increased by $10.6 million from the previous year: 

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The Big 12 reported its TV contract revenue from 2013-14 increased by 6 percent to $139.7 million. Bowl game revenue was up 4 percent to $42.6 million. NCAA revenue distributed to the conference was up 5 percent to $37.3 million.

The Big 12's average payout to its schools was $19.8 million, up from $18.6 million a year earlier. Every Big 12 school received approximately $21 million last year except for TCU and West Virginia, who don't start collecting a full share until 2015-16. TCU received $14.3 million and West Virginia took in $14.2 million.

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How well is the Big 12 doing by comparison? The SEC also projects to pay out $21 million to members, according to numbers obtained by Solomon in January. On top of that, South Carolina athletics director Ray Tanner predicts—conservatively, mind you—that the SEC Network will pay out another $5 million to each member, per John Whittle of 247Sports.

Keep in mind, though, that the Big 12 does not have its own third-tier network like the SEC. Thus, the Big 12's recent numbers do not reflect any additional revenue from that level. 

Revenue numbers for each of the Power 5 conferences should go up every year; the fact that the Big 12's numbers have risen is only news in that it's not bad news. 

What is interesting, however, is that the Big 12 has done as well as it has financially with a few drawbacks. First, the conference doesn't have 12 members, and thus no revenue-producing conference championship game. 

Tom Pennington/Getty Images

Commissioner Bob Bowlsby has no public plans to expand the conference, and hasn't for some time. "There are just so many other elements to consider when you're talking about expansion, and I just don't think there's anybody in our league that is contemplating expansion as a way to enhance our opportunity to get into the postseason in football," Bowlsby said in December, according to Sam Khan Jr. of ESPN.com. 

However, the Big 12 missed out on the first College Football Playoff while crowning Baylor and TCU as co-champions, despite pushing "One True Champion" as a league motto. 

Along those lines, Baylor and TCU—the latter of which was a new member in 2012—are projected to be the top two teams in the Big 12 in 2015. After that, there could be a significant drop-off. 

The Bears have won at least a share of the conference title over the past two seasons, while the Horned Frogs could very well be a preseason No. 1 team. In other words, the top of the Big 12 has been nationally relevant lately even with little to no help from blue-blood programs Oklahoma and Texas. 

Once the Sooners and Longhorns turn a corner, the perception of the Big 12 will be that much better. 

Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football.