August 12, 2016 Bob Bowlsby c/o Kevin Sweeney Polsinelli Law Firm 900 w. 481h Place, Suite 900 Kansas City, MO 64112 Commissioner Bowlsby: My name is Jenny Bramer and | am the interim athletic director at San Diego State University. I left you a phone message Wednesday in introduction. I have been involved in our Big 12 membership initiative ‘and was part of our team present during Monday’s video conference. | wanted to personally let you know that despite Jim Sterk’s departure, as an institution we remain fully engaged in our desire to join the Big 12 Conference, ‘As our President Elliott Hirshman pointed out on Monday, we feel that our academic profile and athletic success align well with the current Big 12 membership. In addition, our location, population base and media market put us in a unique position to add value and exposure to your league. Meanwhile, our football program continues to receive pre-season honors, as Sports illustrated ranked ‘our program 24™ nationally in its poll which was released Tuesday. Thank you for your time and please don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any questions. | look forward to working with you as you continue to explore expansion options. Go Aztecs! Jenny Bramer Interim Director of Athletics San Diego State University&)- SAN DIEGO STATE San Diego State isin the midst ofan era of excellence both academically and athletically. The University, one of the most ap- plied to schools in the country, continues to move up in national academic rankings and set records in research grants and fundraising, Meanwhile, the athletic department continues to win ata rate that few nationally have matched. San Diego Stat is in a unique position to add value to the Big 12 Conference, from a financial, academic and athletic per spective. In short, the Aztecs’ case for inclusion to the league can be made in all ofthe key categories: ~+ Media Market. San Diego isthe 28th-largest media market and the only top 30 market in the country not currently con- tuolled by a Power 5 Conference. During the 2015 regular season, SDSU football games were the highest-rated! games on ‘every channel they appeared on in the San Diego market (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, PAC-12 Networks, Big 10 Network and ‘Time Warner Cable Sports Network). San Diego State's third-tier television rights reside with FOX Sports with programming available in 58 milion homes ~+ Population Base. San Diego is the eighth-largest city in America with an estimated population base of nearly 1.4 millon. In addition, California has four ofthe 13 largest cites in the nation, including Los Angeles (39 million), which is approxi mately two hours away from San Diego and serves as a secondary market for SDSU. ~ California Access. Califomia is the most populated state in the country (nearly twice as populated as Florida) and is cur- rently inhabited by only one Power 5 Conference, creating both student and student-athlete recruiting opportunities, ~ Pacific Time Zone. San Diego State can provide the Pacific time zone, allowing a second prime-time broadcast window for television partners ~ Top 25 Football Team. SDSU boasts sx straight seasons with bowl appearances, owns a current 10-game winning sireak (Gecond longest inthe nation) and is a popular preseason top-25 selection in 2016, ~ Athletic Department Success. SUSU football and men’s basketball have the third-highest combined winning percentage in the nation this decade. The Aztecs also own 32 conference team titles since the beginning of the 2012-13 season ~ University, The University received 83,000 applications for enrollment inthe fall of 2016 and has moved up 34 positions in the in the U.S. News & World Report rankings the last four years and is 79th among public universities, IA MARKET. The San Diego market has 1.16 mil- lion households and is the 28th-largest television market nationally. The San Diego market is the largest market in America not currently con- trolled by a Power 5 Conference. San Diego is adjacent to Los Angeles, which is the second-largest market in. the country with 5.49 million hous: holds, San Diego State currently partners with FOX Sports San Diego for third= tier broadcasts and for football and ‘men’s basketball coaches shows. 1 SDSU's relationship with FOX goes deeper than just television, FOX also serves as the athletic department's mul- timedia rights holder, giving SDSU a unique relationship with one of the na- tion's biggest players in broadcasting, With its current relationship with FOX, SDSU games and coaches shows not only reach San Diego, but also Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Palm Springs and Reno, In all, SDSU's thied-tier pro- gramming has a reach of 5.8 million households. In addition to televised events on FOX, San Diego State also produces ‘more than 100 events annually -all with professional announcers, multiple cam- eras and full graphics -for streaming on the athletic department's official web- site, 1 Unlike many of its Group of 5 coun- terparts, San Diego State is the most watched college program inside its own market. In fact, last season, San Diego State produced the highest-rated col lege football game on every network in which it appeared inside the San Diego DMA. This includes contests shown on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, PAC-12 Net works, Big 10 Network and Time ‘Warner Cable Sports Network. LOCATION 'W Since 2003, San Diego has served as the host to a Super Bowl, MLB All-Star Game, US. Open Golf Championship, the X Games, the first two rounds of the NCAA men’s basketball championship (twice), and the first two rounds of NCAA women’s basketball champi- conship. The city plays hosts to two bow! games annually (Holiday and Poinsot- tia). 1 California is the most populated state with more than 39 million residents (nearly twice the population of Florida). Only one Power 5 Conference is cur- rently located in the state. More than 12 percent of people living in the United States live in California,‘TOP 25 FOOTBALL PROGRAM San Diego State enters the 2016 sea- son in many of the preseason top-25 polls, including a No. 19 ranking by Lindy’s Sports San Diego State has advanced toa bowl game in each of the last six sea- sons, joining Stanford as the only FBS or pro football team from California to advance to the postseason during that stretch. San Diego State is one of three schools from a Group of 5 Conference to play in a bowl game each of the last six seasons im Since the beginning of the 2012 sea- son, San Diego State owns the best Mountain West record at 26-6, ahead of Boise State 25-7) San Diego State enters the 2016 sea- son with the nation’s second-ongest ac- tive winning streak (10 games) San Diego State was the only team in the country to receive every first-place vote in its conference's official presea- son poll Last month, the Aztecs received their conference's preseason player-of-the- year awards on offense, defense and Special teams. In 2015, SDSU was the only team in the nation to sweep the three aforementioned awards at the end ofthe regular season. M Sixteen San Diego State football play- cers received preseason recognition this year, including six who were nomi- nated as the top player at their positions nationally, # Running back Donnel Pumphrey, the NCAA active leader in career rushing yards, all-purpose yards and touch- downs, enters the season asa candidate for every national player-of-the-year hhonor, including the Walter Camp and ‘Maxwell Awards, which are presented to the nation’s top player. ATHLETIC SUCCESS __ m Since the beginning of the 2010-11 ac- ademic year, San Diego State's com- bined football and men’s basketball record is 221-73 Its winning percentage of 752 ranks third nationally, trailing ‘only Ohio State and Louisville. 1 San Diego State joins Brigham Young and Michigan State as the only schools that have advanced to a bow! game ‘each of the last six seasons and played in an NCAA-sponsored men's basket- ball postseason event (NCAA or NIT) ‘each of the last 11 seasons, 'W San Diego State has won 32 confer- cence team titles since the beginning of the 2012-13 season. San Diego State teams have finished in the top 10 of NCAA championships 10 times in the last decade. 1m Since the beginning of the 2009-10 season, San Diego State has had six teams finish in the top 10 nationally at NCAA championship events, Addition- ally, a total of 20 teams from SDSU have finished in the top 25 at NCAAs. 1M San Diego State had three teams last spring finish among the top 25 at NCAA championships. SUPPORT/FUNDRAISING Wt Fifty days prior to the 2016 football opener, San Diego State surpassed its {otal number of season tickets sold from the 2015 campaign, i San Diego State hes sold out 72 con- secutive regular-season home basket- ball games (12,414) San Diego State men’s basketball is ‘once again sold out on a season-ticket basis for the 2016-17 season. The cur rent season ticket wait list consists of more than 800 applicants San Diego State football was second. last season among Mountain West Con- ference schools in home attendance ‘The Aztecs have finished no lower than third in that category in the last ive sea- 1 Since 2008, SDSU has only played two home games against schools from Power 5 Conferences, averaging 44,157 fans for games against Washington State and Oregon State. San Diego State has grown its annual athletic scholarship total by & 6 percent this year (2015-16 vs. 2014-15) and by 682 percent over the last five years. f= San Diego State has recently com- pleted or is in the process of completing, Inajor facility projects totaling $25 mil lion, including the completed Jeff Ja- cobs JAM Center (basketball practice facility - $15.8 million), Aztec Perform- ance Center (strength & conditioning, room - $1 million) and football locker room update. San Diego State's overall athletic de- partment bucget is $51 million. It has Combined Football and Men's Basketball Record ‘Sha soo 2070.1 soon hgh 201516 ses Rk. School Pa, 1, CEB ohio state m9 2, CED] Louisville 758 4, (SM Michigan state 750 5, CB) Oregon 146 6. CEE] Wisconsin m 1. zona 730 8. CHD) duke m8 9, [GEE] North Corating 718 ‘SDSU is one of three schools to play in six stoight football bol ges and py ino NCAsponsored men’s bosketbll event {NCAA oF NIT) eoch of the last 11 seasons. | @ | as SDSU is one of three schools from the Group of 5 Conferences to play in six con- sectve football howd games. 18 SDSU is one of two California football ‘teams - FBS or NFL - to reach the postse son in each of the lst six seasons. SDSU is tied with USC for the second-best football recordin California, trailing only Stonford, since the start of the 2010 campaign.‘TOP 25 FOOTBALL PROGRAM W San Diego State enters the 2016 sea- son in many of the preseason top-25 polls, including a No. 19 ranking by Lindy’s Sports. @ San Diego State has advanced to a bowl game in each of the last six sea- sons, joining Stanford as the only FBS ‘or pro football team from California to advance to the postseason during that stretch. H San Diego State is one of three schools from a Group of 5 Conference to play ina bowl game each of the last W Since the beginning of the 2012 sea- son, San Diego State owns the best ‘Mountain West record at 26-6, ahead of Boise State (25-7) 1 San Diego State enters the 2016 sea- son with the nation’s second-longest ac- ‘ive winning streak (10 games). San Diego State was the only team in the country to receive every first-place vote in its conference's official presea~ son poll Last month, the Aztecs received their conference's preseason player-of-the- year awards on offense, defense and special teams. In 2015, SDSU was the only team in the nation to sweep the three aforementioned awards at theend of the regular season. Sixteen San Diego State football play- lets received preseason recognition this year, including six who were nomi- nated as the top player at their positions nationally. Running back Donnel Pumphrey, the NCAA active leader in career rushing yards, all-purpose yards and touch- downs, enters the season asa candidate for every national player-of-the-year honor, including the Walter Camp and Maxwell Awards, which are presented to the nation’s top player ATHLETIC SUCCESS _ Since the beginning of the 2010-11 ac- ademic year, San Diego State's com- bined football and men’s basketball record is 221-73. Its winning percentage of .752 ranks third nationally, trailing only Ohio State and Louisville 1 San Diego State joins Brigham Young, and Mffthigan State as the only schools, that have advanced to a bowl game each of the last six seasons and played in an NCAA-sponsored men’s basket- ball postseason event (NCAA ot NIT) each of the last 11 seasons. | San Diego State has won 32 confer- cence team titles since the beginning of the 2012-13 season, '™ San Diego State teams have finished in the top 10 of NCAA championships 10 times in the last decade. ™ Since the beginning of the 2009-10 season, San Diego State has had six teams finish in the top 10 nationally at NCAA championship events. Addition- ally, a total of 20 teams from SDSU have finished in the top 25 at NCAAs. ' San Diego State had three teams last spring finish among the top 25 at NCAA championships, SUPPORT/FUNDRAISING __ 1 Fifty days prior to the 2016 football opener, San Diego State surpassed its total number of season tickets sold from the 2015 campaign. 1 San Diego State has sold out 72 con- secutive regular-season home basket- ball games (12,414). San Diego State men’s basketball is ince again sold out on a season-ticket basis for the 2016-17 season. The cur- rent season ticket wait list consists of ‘more than 800 applicants, San Diego State football was second last season among Mountain West Con- ference schools in home attendance. ‘The Aztecs have finished no lower than third in that category inthe lst five sea- 1 Since 2008, SDSU has only played two home games against schools from Power 5 Conferences, averaging 44,157 fans for games against Washington State and Oregon State San Diego State has grown its annual athletic scholarship total by 8.6 percent this year (2015-16 vs. 2014-15) and by 168.2 percent over the last five years. San Diego State has recently com- pleted or is in the process of completing major facility projects totaling $25 mil- lion, including the completed Jeff Ja- cobs JAM Center (basketball practice facility - $15.8 million), Aztec Perform- ance Center (strength & conditioning room - $1 million) and football locker room update & San Diego State's overall athletic de- partment budget is $51 million. It has Combined Football and Men’s Basketball Record Sis of 2010.1 ses Hoag 207516 eon Rk, School Ohio State mm 2. COS 1 Lovisvite TR 5 Son Diego State .752 Pat. 4, (ER [Michigan Ste 750 5, CAD Oregon 6 6. CER] Wisconsin m2 i 730 8. wore JB 9. (IE North Corona 718 | 10.[GRAB Brigham Young 703 HD-|@|S DSU is one of thre schools o playin six stig fetbll bow gores an playin NCAA sponsored men’s bosketbll event (WCU or NI) each ofthe lst 1 soasns. ea SDSU is one of three schools from the Group of 5 Confrence to playin six on seclve Footbal bo ges. SDSU is one of tio Colfornia football teams FBS or NFL trench the postsea son in each of holst six seasons. SDSU is tied with USC for the second-hest football record in alfa, ring only Stanford, sinc the sat of he 2010 campsign.increased more than 40 percent since the 2010-11 academic year. UNIVERSITY ___ I SDSU received more than 83,000 ap- plications for the fall 2016 semester, The incoming freshman class has a 3.71 grade-point-average and a 1,118 average SAT score. MUS. News & World Report ranked San Diego State University 149th among na- tional universities and 79th among pub- lic institutions, San Diego State University’s U.S. News & World Repart national university rank has increased 34 positions in the last four years, 'W San Diego State University received more than $130 million in research grants during the 2015-16 academic year. SDSU's first comprehensive fundrais- ‘ng campaign has already raised more than $716 million of a $750 million goal, According U.S. News & World Report rankings, San Diego State University ranks ninth nationally in international business, 21st nationally entrepreneur- ship and among the top 25 schools in ethnic diversity 'W San Diego State has 300,000 alumni in the southern California area, 'W San Diego State University has more than 60,000 individual donors, '@ San Diego State University has 122 fts of at least $1 million. San Diego State University has a healthy and well-established commit- ‘ment to Title IX compliance and a cam- pus free from discrimination, meeting the proportionality prong with 61 per- cent of student-athletes being women, compared to the student body at 55 per- cent. The Gender Equity Plan incorpo- rates two broad-based campus committees and utilizes a series of des- ignated responsible parties for cach Program Area. The final accountability of this system includes annual presi: dential review andl approval. W In recent years, Title IX has grown to include campus-wide efforts for assault prevention and complaint resolution. Last year, department of athletics coaches, staff and student-athletes were provided more than 40 messages through training, discussion and corre- spondence. Traveling to San Diego Sec ble nes on ae Bice Seo 1 By charter, San Diego is lcoed within @ 2:58 fight to ine Big 12 institutions, 1m Son Diego offers direct non-stop flights to ‘many ces in or neo Big 12 cs, nding ‘Austin, Dallas, Houston and Kansas City. 1 The Son Diego International Airport is serviced by the following itlines: Air Canada, Alaska, Allegiont, American, British Airwoys, Delt, Frontier, Howaiian, Japan, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit, Sun Country, United, Virgin, Vols, Waste. 1 From the cirpr, the Son Diogo State am uss located 13 miles away (al va inte. sfate), Son Diego State's fotbll venve, Quolcram Stadium, 09.4 drive rom the airport.THE PRESIDENT August 12, 2016 Bob Bowlsby clo Kevin Sweeney Polsinelli Law Firm 900 w. 481h Place, Suite 900 Kansas City, MO 64112 Dear Bob: Thank you for the opportunity to discuss future conference membership in the Big 12 As | mentioned to you during our video conference, San Diego State University is enjoying a period of unparalleled growth of its academic profile. With more than 83,000 applications for this fall, SDSU is primed to continue its tremendous rise in national rankings; having moved up 34 places in the U.S. News & World Report National University rankings over the past four years Additionally, it is hard to imagine a football program on a more upward are than ‘San Diego State. After ending the 2015 campaign with 10 consecutive wins and a sixth straight bowl game appearance, San Diego State received every first- place vote in the conference's preseason poll (only team in any league in the country to do that) and is ranked No. 24 in the Sports Illustrated preseason poll | welcome the opportunity to share with you in person my vision for San Diego State University's bright future and how we can partner with the Big 12 Conference to strengthen both parties, Sincerely, €00cok WL Elliot Hirshman President Tom McCarron, Vice President for Business and Financial Affairs, CFO Jenny Bramer, Interim Director of Athletics259 THE PRESIDENT July 29, 2016 Bob Bowlsby clo Kevin Sweeney Polsinelli Law Firm 900 w. 48" Place, Suite 900 Kansas City, MO 64112 Dear Bob Please consider this letter indication of San Diego State University’s interest in being considered for membership to the Big 12 Athletic Conference. Counsel for San Diego State University on this issue is David Bagley of Hecht Solberg Robinson Goldberg & Bagley LLP. He can be reached at 619.239.3444 or dbagley@hechtsolberg.com With best regards, EQQt UD Elliot Hirshman President c: Tom McCarron, Vice President for Business and Financial Affairs, CFO Jim Sterk, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics