The Texas Tech University System's board of regents agreed Monday night to sign over the first- and second-tier sports media rights to the Big 12 conference for the next six years. The decision cements a deal agreed to in principle in September by presidents of the nine remaining member universities as a way to hold the collegiate sports conference together in the wake of three schools' decisions in the last 16 months to bolt the Big 12 for other conferences. Texas Tech President Guy Bailey called the decision a move to stabilize the conferences. Nebraska is in its first season with the Big 10, while Colorado has joined the Pac-12. Texas A&M will join the Southeastern Conference next season. At the same time, Missouri is believed to be near a deal to follow the Aggies to the SEC. Meanwhile, West Virginia has been accepted as the 10th member of the Big 12, and filed a lawsuit Monday against the Big East Conference seeking an immediate release so it can join the Big 12 next year. Financially, the agreement primarily affects the conference's first-tier.
