If you're Oregon and Washington I think the calculus starts setting in . . . are we better positioned to win trophies of significance in the Big 12 or or in the BiG, I think if you're both schools you have to conclude the Big 12.
Then begs the question, can we tighten the financial difference on the TV contract (Big 12 vs BiG) by being highly successful, constantly in the championship picture which in turns opens check books, sells tickets, sells premium seating, drives donations, increases exposure and thus drives sponsorship dollars etc. etc.
Does a Fox come back to the table with more money for the Big 12 with a UW and OR and possibly an Arizona?
The NCAA B-ball tourney rebid is coming up. If the unit system stays roughly the same, with assigned dollar value per unit potentially increasing the new Big 12 becomes a potential monster money machine in the NCAA tourney.
On the same note, you literally put UCLA and USC on an island all by themselves. Relegated into trying to get partners in say a Stanford or Cal, who have great academic curb appeal, but not much athletic curb appeal.