Houston is the right long term choice

Posted on: July 29, 2016 at 13:10:35 CT

The model of conferences expanding to increase the size of their footprint in order to add additional cable subscribers is becoming less attractive as viewers switch from cable delivery to internet delivery and from buying a channel to buying events delivered to their personal device. This change makes viewership more important than cable subscriptions.

Additionaly, the existence of the LHN prevents the Big XII from duplicating the B1G and SECN network models.

The bottom line is viewership, the number of eyeballs watching an event is now its most important number for the Big XII and its broadcasters.

Texas currently has a population of 23 million. It is projected to grow to 53 million by 2050 if it maintains its 2000-2010 growth rate. That's a lot of potential new viewers.

Adding Houston, gives the Big XII one more Texas program to lock a high percentage of these additional viewers. The Big XII will likely add more viewers over the next twenty-five to thirty-five years by locking up the State of Texas to the greatest extent possible than by expanding to other states because the population growth in Texas is going to far outstrip the population growth in the other states.

The bottom line is because of its population growth Texas offers more potential new fans over the next twenty-five to thirty-five years than any place else the Big XII can go.

As for Houston not being a "big time" program, becoming a member of the Big XII, a Power Five program, getting more money, etc will take care of that issue over time.

Houston already has an enrollment of about 43-44K. It's an urban school that's going to grow more rapidly than most of the Big XII's "traditional residential" schools. That means more fans, more donors, etc.

Houston should be the choice.