Big 12 Extends Deal with ESPN: The Big 12 and ESPN have agreed to an eight-year TV broadcast rights deal. The deal begins in 2008-2009 and runs until 2015-2016. Financial details of the deal were not available. The Big 12 considered starting its own network, similar to what the Mountain West and Big 10 have done, but decided against it, Big 12 Commissioner Kevin Weiberg said. [4/30/07]