Texas A.D. On Expansion: “We’re Very Happy with 10″

Being part of a conference that’s lost four teams and added two in recent years, Texas A.D. Deloss Dodds has seen firsthand the impact of conference reshuffling.  The result of losing Colorado, Nebraska, Missouri and Texas A&M and adding TCU and West Virginia means the Big 12 is a 10-team conference, a number Dodds seems to like.

With the Big Ten on the verge of expansion, the Big East crumbling and rampant realignment rumors seemingly popping up daily, Dodds was asked by Chuck Carlton of the Dallas Morning News how closely he was watching the national landscape.

“Absolutely you watch that and think about it and plan around it and think about your own conference, the Big 12. The Big Ten added geography and markets. I don’t know about the SEC and if it might react by going to 16. I don’t know if the Big Ten will go to 16. We’re very happy with 10. It works for us geographically, it works for us financially and it works for us competitively.”

Dodds was also asked by the “haves” and  ”have-nots” of the college football world.  ”Money makes a difference,” said the Texas A.D., “but not that much of a difference. The 85 scholarships have made more difference.”

Those comments on money come as a new study shows spending on sports in the power conferences has passed $100,000 per athlete.  In the SEC, the figure tops $163,000.  In the Big 12, that number exceeds $131,00  per athlete.