NEW: Louisville WANTS INTO BIG 12, Brett Yormark Doing Them A FAVOR By Robbing Cardinals From ACC
NEW: Louisville WANTS INTO BIG 12, Brett Yormark Doing Them A FAVOR By Robbing Cardinals From ACC  
Podcast: Locked On Big 12 | Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast
Published On: Sun Aug 03 2025
Description: If UNC were to successfully leave the ACC, it's highly likely that Louisville would embrace a move to the Big 12. For the Cardinals, such a move would not be about loyalty but about financial stability, competitive necessity, and fan-driven desire for a better conference fit. Here's why Louisville would likely embrace a move to the Big 12: Financial Security: This is the most critical factor. Louisville's athletic department, like many across the country, is facing financial headwinds. The university's 2026 budget projects a $12.5 million deficit in the first year of the revenue-sharing era. A move to the Big 12 would immediately provide a significant revenue increase, as the Big 12's media rights deal is far more lucrative per school than the ACC's. This would help the athletic department balance its books and invest in its athletic programs to remain competitive. Geographic and Travel Relief: Louisville's time in the ACC has brought a lot of long-distance travel, especially with the additions of West Coast schools. A move to the Big 12 would allow them to join a growing "eastern pod" with West Virginia, Cincinnati, and UCF. This would create a much more regionalized schedule, drastically reducing travel burdens and costs for all sports and making it easier for fans to attend away games. This is a major selling point for fans and administrators alike. Reviving Storied Rivalries: Louisville has deep historical ties to the Big East, and many of its fans still feel a sense of rivalry with schools from that era. A move to the Big 12 would put them back in a conference with West Virginia and Cincinnati, reviving competitive matchups that have been largely absent. The potential to reunite the "Backyard Brawl" with Pitt if they were also to move would be another huge driver of fan excitement and engagement. Basketball Prestige: The Big 12 is widely considered the best men's basketball conference in the nation. Adding Louisville, with its championship pedigree and strong basketball tradition, would be a huge boost for the program's visibility and its ability to compete against a slate of elite opponents every year. For a school that has struggled with coaching buyouts and program stability, moving to the best basketball conference would provide a powerful narrative of renewal and opportunity. While there may be some who prefer the ACC's brand or the long-standing relationships with certain schools, the overwhelming financial and logistical benefits of joining the Big 12, coupled with the opportunity to revive regional rivalries, would be something that Louisville and its fanbase would almost certainly embrace. Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms… 🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOBig12?sid=YouTube Locked On College Conferences, HBCU, Basketball & More 🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnCollege Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/drakectoll Follow the show on Twitter: https://twitter.com/LOBig12 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.