I think the real bottom line is this - the B12 and ACC may be P4 conferences, but they are not in the same financial level as the B1G and SEC.
you really have two levels in the P4 - the top 2 and the other 2. B12 and ACC are the other 2. they don't like it and they are afraid of falling further behind. fear leads to desperation, which leads to desperate measures.
you have ACC teams fighting with each other and filing lawsuits back and forth in hopes of getting out of the GOR and maybe moving up to the top 2 conferences. and now the B12 talking about selling naming rights or selling part of the conference to a capital equity firm.
the Gophers may not be a big dog in the Big Ten, but it's a heck of a lot better to be a little dog in the big-money conference than it is to be a big dog in the little-money conference.