Confernce Realignment Chaos is Here!!!!!! (maybe ... probabbly not) (Rumor Texas and OK reach out to SEC about joining)

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fmlizard said:
And they will be good in the SEC, because even Mizzou and A&M both won division titles in their first couple years. A&M even got a Heisman out of their early SEC days!

Meanwhile we know what happened to Big 12 heavyweight Nebraska once they joined the lowly Big Ten West and had 100 years of elite football stopped dead in its tracks.

I'll say A&M and Mizzou also end up being the ones to take a step backward.
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aTm has never won a division title in the SEC.
 


bfriedrichs10 said:
OK St. doesn't love this:

Oklahoma State, while calling the reports "unconfirmed," said it would be "extremely disappointed" if they were true and would defend its position.

"While we place a premium on history, loyalty and trust, be assured, we will aggressively defend and advance what is best for Oklahoma State and our strong athletic program, which continues to excel in the Big 12 and nationally," the school said in a statement.

www.espn.com

AD to 'protect' A&M in SEC amid Texas, OU report

After a report that Texas and Oklahoma have reached out to the SEC about joining the conference, Texas A&M athletic director Ross Bjork said he will be "diligent in our approach to protect" his school.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
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I've lived in Oklahoma for almost 30 years now, and two of my kids have degrees from Oklahoma State. I'm not surprised that OSU would fight this tooth and nail, but OU definitely has more political pull than OSU. But who knows how it would play out?
I would think the bigger issue for such a move would be Texas, where A&M, Tech, TCU, and Baylor would all be opposed. That would make for an awful lot of pissed off Texans!
 





Obviously the Big 12 can't survive without Texas and OK. If this happens does the Big Ten look to expand to 16?
 




builtbadgers said:
Will the SEC allow Texas to keep their 3rd party longhorn network money that is going to really jump up under terms of the contract.
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ESPN owns the SEC network, and perhaps they're making the overall offer to the SEC + UT/OU too good to pass up for those latter two, even though they'd have to abandon their own networks and deals for their 3rd tier rights.

I think I've also seen rumors that no major networks have agreed to enter into early negotiations on a new TV contract for the Big XII.


That second bit -- if true -- would be the true reason that UT/OU hit the panic button here.
 

TruthSeeker said:
If this happens, all the conferences will grow again at the expense of the Big 12.

Maybe it's time to stop watching collegiate sports.
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Why?

You didn't stop watching when the Big Ten added Penn State, or when it added Nebraska, or when it added Rutgers + Maryland. You didn't stop watching when they went to a CFP instead of the BCS.

At worst, you could say that you refuse to watch the first round or quarter-finals of the new expanded playoff, and will just pickup once it gets back to the semi-finals.
 

MplsGopher_fan said:
I'd be ok with that, considering the SEC is in a league of it's own. 4 SEC teams plus ACC champ and B1G champ would make for an awesome playoff.
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The ACC and Big Ten champs will almost certainly already be in, along with the SEC and PAC 12 champs.

The two highest rated conference champs from the remaining confs will also automatically get in.


I'm then talking about four additional SEC teams getting at-larges. There would be two remaining at-larges.


With Texas, A&M, OU, LSU, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Florida all in the same conference ... and only playing eight conference games per year, it is still reasonable all eight of these teams could be in the top 25 each year and easily that the best five could be in the top 15 or maybe even top 10. We'll see.
 



tmvander said:
Obviously the Big 12 can't survive without Texas and OK. If this happens does the Big Ten look to expand to 16?
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A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
I don't thin the B1G has to do anything yet.

They can bide their time.

As for the rest of the B12 ... what choice do the rest of the teams have?
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Agree with this, for the moment.

There is only a single school that is "available" (but not really) that would move the needle in anywhere the same way for the Big Ten, and that's Notre Dame. They'll never join the Big Ten, no matter what. To the bitter end.


But there's always a chance something crazy could happen. What if A&M and Missouri say "F this, we don't want any part of Texas and OU, we're out"? I could see the Big Ten welcoming both. Maybe add Kansas too? (AAU school and basketball)
 

Selfishly, I'd love to add Iowa State to the conference, if the Big XII falls apart.

I know they add nothing, in terms of TV. I know this. And I don't care. Also wonder if Iowa politicians (state and federal) could call in favors. Probably not, but who knows.
 

tmvander said:
Obviously the Big 12 can't survive without Texas and OK. If this happens does the Big Ten look to expand to 16?
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Nobody to add that would increase revenue per team. For the big ten a more profitable scenario would be to combine with the pac 12, sign a non conference scheduling agreement, and negotiate both conferences TV deals at the same time
 

TruthSeeker said:
If this happens, all the conferences will grow again at the expense of the Big 12.

Maybe it's time to stop watching collegiate sports.
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Unreal how quickly things are going downhill. Just make two conferences with divisions and be just like the nfl, seems like where this is going. The glory days are dead and gone.
 

Lots to digest here. Alignment talk is internet porn to me, so I'll just throw random tidbits here:
  • Would UT/OU have the votes? A&M & Mizzou would be hard no's, and there's a rumor that there's almost a collaboration agreement among UF/Georgia/UK/Carolina that they vote together & usually no if it involves an instate program, so even if they were able to get around legal hurdles, the chances of ever seeing FSU/Clemson/Louisville/GT as SEC members are slim. Would they do the same for fellow member A&M?
  • Politically speaking, from what I've read, there's not much politically the state of Oklahoma can do, so Oklahoma State could definitely be in a bind & have to sit & watch it unfold. As for the state of Texas with Baylor/Tech/TCU, that may be a different story. Although if Houston was somehow put into the fold of being able to be a part of the new B12, maybe that would be enough to swing things if it came to that? I think OSU is definitely a valuable institution in terms of athletics, but there'd be practically no interest from the B10 or the Pac-12 of wanting to add them, especially without Oklahoma in terms of the B10. I don't even think the Pac12 would want them as a package; they seem to be a bit more snobbish in terms of the academic angle than the B10 (which is kind of interesting considering that's the same conference that houses ASU & Oregon State.....and I may be wrong, but I don't think Wazzu is exactly the Harvard of the NW either).
  • This was coming down the pike for while, ever since OU somewhat stepped back from any Tier 2/3 TV negotiations. 2025 was always seen as the year something would happen. Even if something was to happen, don't know if it could until 2025.
  • The Outkick.com article linked above in this thread was interesting, but I think there's ZERO chance that there'd be anything involving 4 SEC division champs all getting a guaranteed spot in the playoff.
  • Texas has always seemed like a perfect fit for the Big Ten. The academic side has pretty much always wanted this. Their issue is proximity to B10 schools & ego amongst some. I think OU is somewhat the same way in terms of the academia & would love to be involved with the B10. As the blogger FrankTheTank always says in terms of expansion, "think like a college president & not as a fan."
  • The landscape has changed a lot in terms of content, networks & branding. Back when a lot of this started, access in to cable territories & being put on basic cable or being a part of a lower package was important. It's why Rutgers was so valuable. Honestly, it's why Minnesota has value too. But with it seeming like cord cutting being coming more & more prevalent and streaming becoming more popular, I think the value has turned to the brand.
  • If there's a seismic shift in realignment, the big whale for the B10 will always be Notre Dame. Unfortunately, their desire for football independence has always been a stopper at the gate for the B10. They are locked in rights to the ACC until at least 2030. In hindsight, I don't think it would been a horrible move if the B10 would have done a similar deal for ND; there definitely would have been some things that sucked about the deal, but on the plus side, there would have been 5 guaranteed games with the B10, which I'm sure the conference could have mandated that at least 2 of them be on the BTN. I think eventually the alumni love of independence will somewhat die off, so to speak, and a new thought of being fine to join a conference will eventually occur. Unfortunately, the beneficiary of that may be the ACC.
  • If something is to happen with the B10, I think the first look goes to Kansas. We all joke about KU football & football is the main driver in all of this most of the time, but KU basketball is one of the few blueblood basketball programs that can overcome that (Kentucky, Duke & North Carolina to me seem to be the only others). The BTN values inventory & KU basketball would instantly ramp that value up. Maybe the move is to just add KU, and sit at 15 since divisions won't be required for a championship game anymore; 3 pods of 5. And then wait it out for the best option for a 16th team...among the B12 teams, I like Iowa State & West Virginia, but I don't think they bring enough to the table.
  • I'll say fans, as I don't think their administration or academia has ever indicated they want to leave, but for all the Nebraska fans that have been clamoring for leaving the B10, just another reason why they're delusional.....
  • There's not many whales in terms of college realignment, but Texas is definitely one of them. This is a game changer, regardless of what they do or what happens. Oklahoma is definitely valuable, but Texas is the one that is wanted most of all.
  • If Jim Delany was still running the ship, I have a hard time seeing this happening. As mentioned, what will be the B10's move if such a thing occurs? I mentioned maybe going after KU & then wait and see mode.....will they be more aggressive? The Pac-12 seems to be in a bit of turmoil....would the B10 be so bold to go after USC/UCLA/Cal/Stanford/Oregon/Washington? Are we seeing the start of smaller conferences starting to go away & large mega conferences? Will this only be a football thing & conferences still exist for all other sports? It's my belief that Minnesota will always be in a good position due to the university as a whole along with being in a good sized market. But if I was a fan of a K-State, I'd have some worries about having a chair when the music stops.....
 
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IF the B1G expands to 16 - I'm not sure they HAVE to but with the shift in landscape there's an opportunity - I think they would probably prioritize Kansas as an "easy get." Their revenue would be in the bottom half of the conference (similar to the Gophers), but they add a somewhat sizable media market (Kansas City), they're AAU, they're geographically contiguous with Nebraska, and their basketball program at least is historically amazing.

After that it's kind of a crap shoot if they want to get to 16. ISU culturally fits, selfishly it'd be cool for the Gophers to play there frequently, and they're AAU, but they double up an already smaller market in Iowa and I doubt the conference wants that financially.

The conference could try to poach an ACC team, although there are certainly barriers - thinking Virginia makes a lot of sense given academics, geography, relative strength of athletics program, although culturally they're a weird fit but Maryland and Rutgers are too so whatever. Pitt, maybe, but Penn State probably loses their minds if that tries to go through and I expect they don't add anything to the conference coffers.
 

North Carolina, Duke, Kansas, Virginia would be an interesting 4 some that might add enough footprint. But honestly I can’t see the big ten adding anyone
 

I think with any expansion talk, you pretty much have to forget anyone from the ACC. Their Grant of Rights deal pretty much locks all of them in for at least 15 years....
 


FireDaveLee said:
I think with any expansion talk, you pretty much have to forget anyone from the ACC. Their Grant of Rights deal pretty much locks all of them in for at least 15 years....
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Yeah. And their schools are the ones that could add value to the big ten.


if Delaney was still big ten commissioner I would expect Texas and Oklahoma to big ten west and Purdue to the East by the end of the week. With warren the big ten will be shunned to a permanent number two league. Which I’m fine with
 


Some guy said:
Yeah. And their schools are the ones that could add value to the big ten.


if Delaney was still big ten commissioner I would expect Texas and Oklahoma to big ten west and Purdue to the East by the end of the week. With warren the big ten will be shunned to a permanent number two league. Which I’m fine with
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I'd expect the Big Ten to counter offer Texas and Oklahoma, whether it actually goes through is another thing.
 

swelna said:
I'd expect the Big Ten to counter offer Texas and Oklahoma, whether it actually goes through is another thing.
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What would we offer?

The only thing I could imagine is a shorter build up time to getting a full distribution of the money.

There's a whole lot that has to be discussed beyond that and I don't think the B1G is willing to give them a big cut of the pie.

B1G doesn't have to get into a bidding war here, not when we're clearly their second choice...
 

A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
What would we offer?

The only thing I could imagine is a shorter build up time to getting a full distribution of the money.

There's a whole lot that has to be discussed beyond that and I don't think the B1G is willing to give them a big cut of the pie.

B1G doesn't have to get into a bidding war here, not when we're clearly their second choice...
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That's probably the biggest thing, them getting their money sooner. I think it comes down to of it's more about the money of OK and Texas or the tea they'll play. If it's money, I think the big ten could reasonably counter offer (especially with the market it would bring), but you're right that it depends on what Texas wants contract/money wise. If it's about playing SEC teams, then yeah it's would go nowhere.

I'd at least expect the Big ten to reach out and say "what would it take to get you to come here". Warren could lead with that and bring whatever they say back to the ADs/presidents to see what they felt.
 

And maybe I'm just in the mind set of what Delaney would do to try to get that market, but out of the rest of the Big 12 teams, none really bring as much as Texas and Ok would as far as market addition, so from that stand point I think as a commissioner you at least have to ask what it would take, even if it is likely not feasible.
 

A_Slab_of_Bacon said:
What would we offer?

The only thing I could imagine is a shorter build up time to getting a full distribution of the money.

There's a whole lot that has to be discussed beyond that and I don't think the B1G is willing to give them a big cut of the pie.

B1G doesn't have to get into a bidding war here, not when we're clearly their second choice...
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The big ten could easily out bid the SEC as big ten money sharing is about more than sports via the BTAA (formerly CIC)
 

ND, UVA, OU, UT.

Expansion sucks, but those are the schools to grab. If you can't get UVA, then move west and grab a California school. The Pac 12 is weak, and getting UCLA, USC or Stanford would be huge.
 

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