Texas & Oklahoma Formally [Accept] SEC Membership

[Ignatius L Hoops]

OU, Texas formally ask SEC for member invite

In a joint statement, Oklahoma and Texas announced they've formally notified the SEC that they are seeking "an invitation for membership" beginning July 1, 2025.

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Oklahoma and Texas have formally notified the SEC they are seeking "an invitation for membership" beginning July 1, 2025, according to a joint statement from the flagship programs of the Big 12.

According to the release, OU and Texas sent SEC commissioner Greg Sankey their request Tuesday morning.

"The two universities look forward to the prospect of discussion regarding the matter," the statement read.

According to the letter, which was dated July 27 and made public, Texas president Jay Hartzell and Oklahoma president Joseph Harroz Jr. wrote, "We believe that there would be mutual benefit to the Universities on the one hand, and the SEC on the other hand, for the Universities to become members of the SEC."

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

SEC officially invites Texas, OU to join conference

The SEC voted unanimously to invite Texas and Oklahoma to join the conference, and the two schools could officially accept the offer as soon as Friday.

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Nearly a done deal:

The 14 SEC presidents and chancellors voted unanimously on Thursday to extend invitations to Big 12 co-founders Oklahoma and Texas to join the league, leaving one final formality before the deal is done: OU and Texas have to officially accept the offer, which could happen as soon as Friday.

"Today's unanimous vote is both a testament to the SEC's longstanding spirit of unity and mutual cooperation, as well as a recognition of the outstanding legacies of academic and athletic excellence established by the Universities of Oklahoma and Texas,'' SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said.


The board of regents for both Texas and Oklahoma have scheduled separate special meetings Friday morning in which athletic conference membership will be discussed. Oklahoma's regents will meet in Oklahoma City, and Texas' regents will meet via conference call.

The next step is to determine when the move will become a reality and what happens to the eight schools left behind. On Monday, Texas and Oklahoma issued a joint statement saying they intend to remain in the Big 12 through June 30, 2025, when the current Big 12 media rights deal expires, but it's possible the schools could attempt to exit sooner. Each university would have to pay a penalty of at least $75 million to $80 million to break that agreement -- or hope that the Big 12 dissolves before the contract expires.

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

Texas, Oklahoma regents accept SEC invitation

The board of regents in Texas and Oklahoma unanimously voted to accept the SEC's invitation to join the conference after their current contract with the Big 12 ends.

www.espn.com

Texas and Oklahoma will join the SEC no later than 30 June 2025.

The board of regents in Texas and Oklahoma unanimously voted to formally accept an invitation to join the SEC, the school announced Friday.

The votes for the Sooners and Longhorns put a bow on a week of formalities that will ultimately make the SEC the first 16-team superconference.

The next step is to determine when the move will become a reality -- and what happens to the eight Big 12 schools left behind. On Monday, Texas and Oklahoma issued a joint statement saying that they intend to remain in the Big 12 through June 30, 2025, when the current Big 12 media rights deal expires -- but it's possible that the schools will attempt to exit sooner. Each university would have to pay a penalty of at least $75 million to $80 million to break that agreement or hope that the Big 12 dissolves before the contract expires.