Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby has sent a cease and desist letter to ESPN alleging that the network has covertly harmed the conference with backroom dealing around realignment. 

In the letter, which was acquired by Sports Illustrated, Bowlsby alleges that ESPN was not only involved in Texas and Oklahoma's decision to leave for the SEC, but also has contacted at least one other member about changing conferences. The Big 12 asked that ESPN not contact the remaining eight member institutions. 

"The actions noted above are an apparent attempt to interfere with and to induce our members to preach these contractual obligations to the conference and to encourage further conference realignment for the financial benefit of ESPN," Bowlsby wrote in the letter. 

In addition to pulling all of the SEC television rights under one ESPN umbrella, ESPN would also have major incentive for Big 12 schools to leave the conference. Texas and Oklahoma would owe approximately $160 million combined, which 247Sports reported could come out of ESPN's remaining owed balance to Texas in the Longhorn Network. 

The dissolution of the conference would also allow ESPN to get out its rights deal with the remaining Big 12 schools, which could save ESPN tens of millions of dollars. CBS Sports is reporting that ESPN was attempting to maneuver as many as three to five Big 12 members into the ESPN rights-owned American Athletic Conference. 

In an interview with the Associated Press, Bowlsby confirmed that he believes ESPN is attempting to destabilize the conference so Texas and Oklahoma can avoid paying a buyout. 

"I have absolute certainty [ESPN] has been involved in manipulating other conferences to go after our members," Bowlsby told the AP. 

The Big 12 distributed more than $34 million to the 10 member institutions after the 2020-21 school year, even following finanical issues brought on by the pandemic. For comparison, the American Athletic Conference distributed slightly more than $7 million. 

ESPN responded to the letter on Thursday, claiming that Bowlsby's allegations of interference were "entirely without merit." 

"Your letter consists entirely of unsubstantiated speculation and legal conclusions," ESPN executive Burke Magnus wrote in his letter. "To be clear, ESPN has engaged in no wrongful conduct and, thus, there is nothing to 'cease and desist.'

"We trust this will put the matter to rest."