I already put this on the hoops board, direct quotes from the AD...
Some Big 12 talking points by writer Mike Anthony- ( besides the $30 milion a year increase in revenue)
"That leaves the Big 12, which does make sense on some levels. Big 12 men’s basketball has been the best in America in recent years, led by the two national champions (Baylor in 2021, Kansas in 2022) that preceded UConn’s latest."
"Geographically, the Big 12 is less than an ideal fit, but Big East isn’t exactly exclusive to the Northeast anymore, with members (Creighton) as far away as Omaha. The conference would give football, which currently runs independently, a conference affiliation and a Power Five one at that. The Big 12 would be a step up for Jim Pender’s UConn baseball team, too. "
BUT....“I don't think money guarantees success,” Benedict said. “I think you can look around the country and identify programs in those conferences that aren't winning national championships or are competitive at that level."....."I would have no interest in going into a situation — this is me, personally, speaking — where you're going to get more money but you're not going to be competitive in anything. That is not attractive to me, at all. And that certainly was a factor in making the move back to the Big East.”