Houston Chronicle exclusive: Texas, Oklahoma reach out to SEC about joining conference.

[jostar1]

Exploring the Big 12/SEC Timeline: Here's How Oklahoma and Texas Got Here

News on Friday that Oklahoma and Texas have been looking to leave the Big 12 Conference for 6-7 months seemed surprising at first, but can easily be traced back to one thing.

Television.

The timeline over the past two years is clear and revealing.

In September 2012, the Big 12 signed what it called “monumental” agreements — 13-years, $2.6 billion — with ESPN and Fox Sports.

Those deals were applauded as it would pay each Big 12 school $20 million annually.

Commissioner Bob Bowlsby called it “a monumental day,” and for a conference that over the previous two years was on life support, it was.

But recently, as the end of that contract approached and other leagues began landing astronomical television deals, Oklahoma and Texas began asking themselves — and each other — if they could do better, a source told SI Sooners.

Exploring the Big 12/SEC Timeline: Here's How the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns Got Here - Sports Illustrated Oklahoma Sooners News, Analysis and More

 

[huskymedic]

 

[phillionaire]

 

[huskymedic]

View attachment 68727

LOL, I saw that in the comments:

From the Thamel article above:

->The only variable remains the historically volatile worlds of Texas and Oklahoma politics, but they’ve been unusually quiet this week. One source indicated that there’s not expected to be significant political interference. “There’s really no legislative way to prevent this,” a source said. “Despite whatever theatrics may come out in the next few days.”

A different source noted that the Texas Board of Regents chair, Kevin Eltife, who puppeteered this move behind the scenes, is a political animal. There's no way, the source said, Eltife would have done this and then surprised Governor Greg Abbott with the news. With sources telling Yahoo Sports that backchannel conversations have been going on for nearly a year, it's unlikely in the complicated world of Texas politics that anything this significant would have been done without communication at the highest levels. <-

 

[BlueDogs]

I hope the crew in Storrs is prepared to do more than monitor the situation. Last bite at the apple for a long while is coming fast.

 

[JMick]

I hope the crew in Storrs is prepared to do more than monitor the situation. Last bite at the apple for a long while is coming fast.

no news is best news in scenarios like this. don't want any leaks pissing off the big east. If I'm Dave I keep this whole thing to myself

 

[DarthGrumpy]

View attachment 68727

The #1 sport in Texas is politics. Someone must have really been peeved at A&M or a bunch of UT Alumni finally decided to take matters into their own hands.

 

[buddy]

So....there is no conference realignment activity without UConn somehow getting the shaft. I was just thinking about future schedules....I wonder how much these realignments will force teams to cancel games with UConn? Especially if these larger leagues results in less out of conference games?

I just figured there had to be some way UConn continued the pattern of being damaged by every conference realignment decision....lol.

UConn may have to lobby to join a leftover conference as football only members. That would solve the conference only scheduling issue. If you can believe local newspaper articles, UConn is not expecting an invite anywhere.

 

[WestHartHusk]

UConn may have to lobby to join a leftover conference as football only members. That would solve the conference only scheduling issue. If you can believe local newspaper articles, UConn is not expecting an invite anywhere.

It would be completely irresponsible not to be making calls right now. You don't have expectations, but you have to keep your ne pit there.

 

[Hoophound]

UConn may have to lobby to join a leftover conference as football only members. That would solve the conference only scheduling issue. If you can believe local newspaper articles, UConn is not expecting an invite anywhere.

We shouldn't be at this point. This is gong to play out for a long time to come. I’m sure Dave is networking.

 

[CTBballfan243]

It would be completely irresponsible not to be making calls right now. You don't have expectations, but you have to keep your ne pit there.

AD Dave came from Auburn and the SEC. I am sure Dave is using his multiple contacts within the SEC to try and secure a UConn invite to the SEC. Fingers crossed!!!!

 

[JMick]

We shouldn't be at this point. This is gong to play out for a long time to come. I’m sure Dave is networking.

I'm sure he has Warde's number and has kept in touch over the years

 

[Guapo]

Drama queens

 

[WestHartHusk]

Drama queens

This is the fatal feature of the Super Leagues. Ego.

In this case, I'm with A&M. UT seems like a terrible partner.

 

[UConnSportsGuy]

I hope the crew in Storrs is prepared to do more than monitor the situation. Last bite at the apple for a long while is coming fast.

So your saying it is not the best time to be without a permanent School President and in the middle of a battle between the school establishment and the Board of Trustees?!

 

[JMick]

So your saying it is not the best time to be without a permanent School President and in the middle of a battle between the school establishment and the Board of Trustees?!

Can you imagine if this was going on without a president and we were in the AAC? At least this times a little different

 

[Guapo]

This is the fatal feature of the Super Leagues. Ego.

In this case, I'm with A&M. UT seems like a terrible partner.

it’s objectively hilarious

 

[metsfan2323]

I hope the crew in Storrs is prepared to do more than monitor the situation. Last bite at the apple for a long while is coming fast.

Yup, we need to prostitute ourselves to the B1G bigtime, offer to be their cheap NYC whore. Maybe the ACC panics and shows up at our door with some flowers and a mysterious envelope.

 

[JMick]

it’s objectively hilarious

It also seems like a total dog and pony show.

Unless it's true that they were 100% blindsided this week. Now that would be absolutely hilarious.

Imagine you have 13 friends. You're really good friends with them even though they've all been bff's for a while. You finally feel a part of the group.

But behind your back one of them slept with your recent ex and they all know about it and talk about it. The room gets quiet when you walk in. Eventually the dude just brings her to a party and that's when they tell you they're dating. You ask all your other 12 friends if they knew about it and they're like sorry man, they told us not to say anything.

 

[Guapo]

It also seems like a total dog and pony show.

Unless it's true that they were 100% blindsided this week. Now that would be absolutely hilarious.

Imagine you have 13 friends. You're really good friends with them even though they've all been bff's for a while. You finally feel a part of the group.

But behind your back one of them slept with your recent ex and they all know about it and talk about it. The room gets quiet when you walk in. Eventually the dude just brings her to a party and that's when they tell you they're dating. You ask all your other 12 friends if they knew about it and they're like sorry man, they told us not to say anything.

Imagine you’re making business decisions worth billions of dollars and treating these negotiations like you own a franchise propane dealership in the 80’s

 

[Pudge]

Andy Staples:
"I keep seeing people trying to figure out which leagues are in the Power 5 going forward.

There won’t be a Power 5.

There won’t be four superconferences."

there you go. Will Starkville, Mississippi rise while the 2 LA Universities fall to the wayside? Of course not. This is going to SuperLeague. And UCONN? we hope to keep playing in the middle. With far better schedules.

It’ll be the Power 2, the middle class and everyone else.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

UConn may have to lobby to join a leftover conference as football only members. That would solve the conference only scheduling issue. If you can believe local newspaper articles, UConn is not expecting an

I don't believe the local newspapers know anything. Benedict kept things quiet for two years trying to exit the AAC.

 

[Goatmeat]

As I stated that quote came from Iowa State Athletic Dept- I just grabbed the data from their release I have no allegiance to Iowa -State- but adding another land grant school to Big 10 fits their educational and athletic mission

I think athletic and educational missions are on the back burner with money on the forefront. All this nonsense about allegiance, land grant, AAU is nothing more than background noise at this stage in the game.

 

[Waquoit]

This is the fatal feature of the Super Leagues. Ego.

In this case, I'm with A&M. UT seems like a terrible partner.

A&M are a bunch of softees.

 

[huskymedic]

Coincidence? Ha!

 

[bigAbruns]

A&M are a bunch of softees.

Agree, they are like South Carolina, they think they are great, but in reality they aren't. Watch A+M leaves and SEC kicks out south Carolina, then bring in Texas and Clemson, that's a win for sec

 

[uconnric]

So I guess the University of Chicago is next on the list too then? (AAU member, rivalry with Northwestern)

I hope the crew in Storrs is prepared to do more than monitor the situation. Last bite at the apple for a long while is coming fast.

And what is Dave supposed to do at this point? He can't go public with any ideas right now. I also think that the ACC may similarly implode. Florida State and Clemson are going to be salivating over SEC money and may join them.

 

[CL82]

Yup, we need to prostitute ourselves to the B1G bigtime, offer to be their cheap NYC whore. Maybe the ACC panics and shows up at our door with some flowers and a mysterious envelope.

Isn’t Rutgers their cheap NYC whore? I think we’d have to be their elite escort. More penthouse than back alley.

 

[uconnric]

it’s objectively hilarious

Our old friend Gene DeFilippo must be working for A&M.

 

[BlueDogs]

And what is Dave supposed to do at this point? He can't go public with any ideas right now. I also think that the ACC may similarly implode. Florida State and Clemson are going to be salivating over SEC money and may join them.

The statement was “I hope”. If I were him, I be meeting with President and Trustees and laying out potential options, putting together a financial analysis regarding the economic benefits both direct and indirect of moving to a major conference, and I be meeting with legislators and the governor to discuss the appetite of buying into a conference like the B1G. This is an economic dev project with long term benefits. I’d be ready to pay in $125M to take in a half share ($25M) for 5 years with a full share thereafter. For the ACC, the local economic drivers are not nearly as attractive and the rev share is smaller, but, again, the is really about economic development and putting a real sports product into Connecticut . Connecticut is sitting on boat loads of federal cash they are not spending.