Big 12 keeps Edward Jones for its last title game Dec. 4

The extension itself is a routine sponsor deal. What stands out is the line about this being the last one.

Pete Nakos

@PeteNakos

News: The Big 12 has extended its deal with Edward Jones for another year, keeping the company as the title sponsor of the Big 12 championship game. With CFP expansion, it will be the last Big 12 title game played. Scheduled for Dec. 4. t.co/tv3qbSvAKP

A 1-year extension is exactly what you sign when you know the event is going away. Edward Jones only came on as the title sponsor ahead of the 2025 game, when it also became the conference's first wealth management partner. Now it gets a 2nd and final year with its name on the game. The game is set for Friday, Dec. 4, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, on ABC.

The reason it ends is the College Football Playoff. The sport is moving toward a 24-team bracket starting with the 2027 season, and the expected price of that expansion is the Power 4 conference title games. Yahoo's Ross Dellenger broke the expansion news and ESPN followed, but it has been described as a handshake deal, not a formally approved format, so the fine print is still being worked out. The Big 12 sponsor deal is about as clear a sign as you'll get that the leagues are treating it as settled.

The extension also covers more than the game itself, and that part may outlast it.

Pete Thamel

@PeteThamel

Interesting part of this: It includes financial education for student-athletes covering NIL income planning, investing basics and long-term wealth strategies.

Big 12 Conference@Big12Conference

Building on a Successful Foundation: Edward Jones and the Big 12 Renew Partnership t.co/F22jUiV99e

According to On3, Edward Jones will run virtual financial education webinars, workshops and resources that Big 12 athletes can use all year, on income planning, investing basics and long-term financial wellness. It's also adding digital integrations across football, men's and women's basketball and Olympic sports. With players getting paid now, teaching a 20-year-old not to blow his NIL money on a car is a pretty smart way for a wealth management firm to spend its sponsor dollars.

So the final Big 12 title game picks up after Texas Tech beat BYU 34-7 last December. That win was the Red Raiders' 1st Big 12 championship and sent them to their 1st College Football Playoff. Whoever wins in Arlington on Dec. 4 keeps the trophy for good, at least in this format. After that, league champions will apparently be decided some other way, and the 1st weekend of December won't be the same.