Texas Tech Athletic Director Kirby Hocutt dropped by Jack Dale's Sportsline to talk to Steve Dale and Charlie Holt about the ticket special for Saturday's Iowa State game, the ongoing conference realignment and could the Big 12 use Notre Dame and BYU to move to 16 schools.

Texas Tech and United Supermarkets have teamed up to offer the ticket special for Saturday's football game against Iowa State.  Fans can buy individual tickets for $25 or a family 4-pack for $90 at Lubbock United Supermarket locations or the Texas Tech Ticket Office at Jones AT&T Stadium.  Hocutt said, "We've got one of the best home-field advantages when we have Jones AT&T Stadium sold out. And we need it filled up for Saturday's game."

Hocutt also took some time to talk about yesterday's reports that West Virgina would become the 10th team in the Big 12 Conference if/when Missouri leaves the Big 12 for the SEC and the Big 12's expansion process,"The Big 12 Conference has had a Membership Committee study expansion and the Membership Committee has made their recommendation to the Big 12's Board of Presidents. Ultimately the nine Big 12 Presidents (including TCU, excluding Missouri) will decide the future expansion opportunities."  Hocutt continued, "I expect they will make some decisions in the short-term, next 7-10 days. I believe all of the speculation yesterday (about West Virginia) was premature and until I hear from Tech President Guy Bailey I'm not going to take anything to the bank yet."

Steve Dale then asked if the Big 12 would have any further expansion once the conference settles upon its 10 schools.  Hocutt responded, "Well, football is the heavyweight in these discussions. Then the other significant piece is our television partners.  We've been very fortunate that FOX and ABC & ESPN have stood behind this conference through some extremely challenging times.  For us to have a third opportunity to get this situation right is unique and we're very fortunate to have that.  We wouldn't have this third opportunity again if it wasn't for our television partners."

Steve Dale also asked if the Big 12 could take advantage of Notre Dame and BYU's individual television contracts and try to bring them into the conference.  Hocutt said, "At the end of the day the question becomes 'who brings added value to us as a league'?  We have our financial pies that exist today and it is shared 10 ways. To grow to 12, what two programs can you bring in to grow our revenue pie just enough to feed those two other  mouths at the same level that we enjoy and benefit from today? That's the question and that's where our television partners have to weigh in.  Notre Dame is a no-brainer (as far as a possible addition)."

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