Houston Chronicle exclusive: Texas, Oklahoma reach out to SEC about joining conference. | Page 27 | The Boneyard

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

I will be alone in this, but I would rather be in a conference with the best-of- the- rest of the Big 12 and best of the AAC. That is better than being independent, especially in an era where scheduling meaningful games is going to be next to impossible. These teams aren't creating super conferences so they can play out of conference schools. And while they Big 12 leftovers will take a big pay cut, this new alliance will still probably yield a better contract (probably from Fox) than we are going to see.

Football schedules that include TCU, OSU, KState, WVU, Cincy, Houston, UFC, Memphis, USF, and Memphis sound pretty good to me. Basketball with them and Kansas.....I'm taking that.
 
Chuck said:
I was wondering how Bowlsby would find out about ESPN approaching teams. If, for example, ESPN approached Kansas about going to the B1G (or ACC, PAC12, SEC) Kansas would say "YES!" and not rat to Bowlsby. But the teams approached don't want to go to the AAC so they sang to Bowlsby so they can look loyal.
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Or did Ares man up and do the right thing?
 
Ajs120102 said:


Hate to say it but if this does indeed become reality, IMO UConn made a big mistake moving to the big East. Financially at least.
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Just because they're trying to do something doesn't mean it will happen.

Kansas and West Virginia ain't going to the AAC (they'd go INDY before that happens), which means whatever schools go to the AAC are of no interest to the average UConn fan and the payout would be the same as it is now + still getting shuffled being the ESPN+ paywall with no SNY deal (the straw that broke the camel's back).

I'd rather play Nova, Georgetown, Creighton, PC etc in hoops with an Indy schedule than the crap we had to put up with plus K State, ISU, and OSU.

It's been thrown around in a couple articles the rest of the B12 would get about a $9-12 million annual payout per member on the open market so the money isn't any close to P5 territory whether the schools continue under the B12 or AAC membership.
 
Storrs South said:
Just because they're trying to do something doesn't mean it will happen.

Kansas and West Virginia ain't going to the AAC (they'd go INDY before that happens), which means whatever schools go to the AAC are of no interest to the average UConn fan and the payout would be the same as it is now + still getting shuffled being the ESPN+ paywall with no SNY deal (the straw that broke the camel's back).

I'd rather play Nova, Georgetown, Creighton, PC etc in hoops with an Indy schedule than the crap we had to put up with plus K State, ISU, and OSU.

It's been thrown around in a couple articles the rest of the B12 would get about a $9-12 million annual payout per member on the open market so the money isn't any close to P5 territory whether the schools continue under the B12 or AAC membership.
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In all honesty no chance 8 teams joins. People think this is bc the AAC is better it’s more like ESPN is trying to play them like a fiddle and save a buck.
 
Ajs120102 said:


Hate to say it but if this does indeed become reality, IMO UConn made a big mistake moving to the big East. Financially at least.
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Maybe - rather hard to see the future here. Should it happen the closest new school would be WV, the rest would be west of the MS. It would continue to be a conf flung far from our community in a manner that would be challenging to get the fan base excited.

The media contract will be modest - same as the current AAC deal, but probably puffed up to make it read like the schools aren’t losing so badly. It will be clearly mid major money, well short if anything remotely P4.

This expanded AAC would be just an ort cloud sending in occasional comets to the top 10. No matter what it accomplishes it won’t dislodge one of the remaining P4 conf.

I could see Navy deciding to exit and become and independent - this would also help them get to an even 18 schools. Maybe Kansas or WV try the independent path if they can park their other sports elsewhere.
 
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Storrs South said:
Just because they're trying to do something doesn't mean it will happen.

Kansas and West Virginia ain't going to the AAC (they'd go INDY before that happens), which means whatever schools go to the AAC are of no interest to the average UConn fan and the payout would be the same as it is now + still getting shuffled being the ESPN+ paywall with no SNY deal (the straw that broke the camel's back).

I'd rather play Nova, Georgetown, Creighton, PC etc in hoops with an Indy schedule than the crap we had to put up with plus K State, ISU, and OSU.

It's been thrown around in a couple articles the rest of the B12 would get about a $9-12 million annual payout per member on the open market so the money isn't any close to P5 territory whether the schools continue under the B12 or AAC membership.
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Exactly. Just because ESPN reached out and tried to convince those Big 12 schools to join the AAC doesn't mean those schools seriously considered such a move. I just don't see Kansas/Okie State interested in sharing a conference with Wichita/Tulsa.
 
Ajs120102 said:
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Jon Stewart Popcorn GIF


I'm going to enjoy watching this if they go at it like this.
 
ESPN did the same thing with the ACC to destroy the old Big East. BCU AD at the time stated media partner aka ESPN told them what to do.

ESPN is doing the same to the B12. They get OU and Texas to the SEC so those 2 will get their payday. At the same time, ESPN is blowing up the B12 to get out of the B12 contract while pushing rest of the 8 leftovers to the AAC at a huge discount.

It was upsetting when the old Big East didn't sue ESPN when ACC raided the old Big East. Uconn was damaged badly by ESPN, BCU, Pitt, Cuse, and the ACC. I hope this time ESPN get sued to oblivion.
 
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huskymedic said:
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I can see this and I think it makes financial sense.....for now. The problem is, what happens in 2025? Where is that money going to come from? I can see some of those Big 12 schools thinking ahead and calling whatever P5 conference they can. I'm not sure I see this playing out with all 8 schools staying together and just filling in with AAC schools. They are on borrowed time and they all know it
 
Exit 4 said:
Maybe - rather hard to see the future here. Should it happen the closest new school would be WV, the rest would be west of the MS. It would continue to be a conf flung far from our community in a manner that would be challenging to get the fan base excited.

The media contract will be modest - same as the current AAC deal, but probably puffed up to make it read like the schools aren’t losing so badly. It will be clearly mid major money, well short if anything remotely P4.

This expanded AAC would be just an ort cloud sending in occasional comets to the top 10. No matter what it accomplishes it won’t dislodge one of the remaining P4 conf.

I could see Navy deciding to exit and become and independent - this would also help them get to an even 18 schools. Maybe Kansas or WV try the independent path if they can park their other sports elsewhere.
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Geography update: Temple, UCF, USF are all EAST of the MS. so the addition of WVU & a possible UCONN would be an interesting division with a guaranteed annual trip to Florida.
 
UCFBfan said:
I can see this and I think it makes financial sense.....for now. The problem is, what happens in 2025? Where is that money going to come from? I can see some of those Big 12 schools thinking ahead and calling whatever P5 conference they can. I'm not sure I see this playing out with all 8 schools staying together and just filling in with AAC schools. They are on borrowed time and they all know it
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Sure but the key for them, and kudos to Bowlsby for being open about it, is hold together and get every penny out of UT and OU. That's a lot of $ for the the remainining 8 schools to split. Lol that the AAC is anywhere near a better alternative. Again Kudos to Bowlsby. People mock that letter but he put it out there for all to see. ESPN comspired with the AAC he says, but he also put the ACC on notice should they get ideas of inviting WVU and Kansas giving them the 4 schools necessary to dissolve the conference.
 
The one thing people still can’t seem to wrap their heads around is that the leagues/schools themselves aren’t the ones making the decisions- it’s the networks (specifically ESPN).

If ESPN wants the AAC to be the survivor, it’ll be the survivor. That’s the reality of the situation even if the Big 12 is definitely in a “better” position as of now
 
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Drew said:
The one thing people still can’t seem to wrap their heads around is that the leagues/schools themselves aren’t the ones making the decisions- it’s the networks (specifically ESPN).

If ESPN wants the AAC to be the survivor, it’ll be the survivor. That’s the reality of the situation even if the Big 12 is definitely in a “better” position as of now
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yep, ESPN decides - it’s always been that way.

And the only question at this point is if FOX wants to enter the fray and stir things up however it can.
 
noeynox said:
Sure but the key for them, and kudos to Bowlsby for being open about it, is hold together and get every penny out of UT and OU. That's a lot of $ for the the remainining 8 schools to split. Lol that the AAC is anywhere near a better alternative. Again Kudos to Bowlsby. People mock that letter but he put it out there for all to see. ESPN comspired with the AAC he says, but he also put the ACC on notice should they get ideas of inviting WVU and Kansas giving them the 4 schools necessary to dissolve the conference.
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I agree 100% that there is a lot of money to just leave on the table should they dissolve. However, they need to look long term. What will the money be after 2025? Will it be enough with whatever this conference becomes? No way they can stay at 8, so what do they do? Bowlsby called out ESPN and if he holds firm, which I hope he does, I'm not sure what happens. ESPN is clearly pulling the strings with these moves, which should not be a shock to anyone. They were hoping to ease UT and OU's exit fees by dissolving the Big 12 with some schools moving to the AAC. They got exposed and now the fireworks are starting. Will ESPN sit idly by and let AAC schools defect to Fox and the Big 12? I don't see how they will after this has become public. So where does the Big 12 turn? I can't see UT and OU sticking it out until 2025.

It should be an interesting few weeks, months, longer....I will definitely enjoy the show.
 
This entire scenario comes as no surprise to anyone who listens to Sirius-XM college sports, now known as ESPNU Radio. The tremors & rumblings of the realignment volcano have been felt for months. The talking head pundits have alluded to the cosmic blast whenever it was a slow sports week to fill dead air. There was much speculation that the XII was the weakest of the P5 & most prone to raiding. The only question is were the on-mike personalities speculating on their own or being fed deep background info from ESPN Corporate to be released piecemeal with appropriate timing.
 
Drew said:
The one thing people still can’t seem to wrap their heads around is that the leagues/schools themselves aren’t the ones making the decisions- it’s the networks (specifically ESPN).

If ESPN wants the AAC to be the survivor, it’ll be the survivor. That’s the reality of the situation even if the Big 12 is definitely in a “better” position as of now
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Texas and OU are going to the SEC because that's in the best interest of Texas and OU. The Big 12 nearly imploded during the last round of musical chairs when Texas threatened to leave. The networks certainly have a stake in all of this, but ESPN didn't make the decision. It was a no-brainer for Texas and OU. As for everyone else, they're all trying to find a safe haven in a power league. Some will, some won't. I'm sure Clemson is feeling a little antsy but the ACC gor deal is a tough one to overcome.
 
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sub legacy said:
ESPN absolutely has a hand in this, as their analysts feign shock publicly.

Also agree that going Independent and Big East otherwise was for the best for exactly this reason. Get out of the fray, maintain the program appropriately, and let the realignment chips fall where they may.
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It's like Bowlsby was reading our posts as he crafted the cease & desist letter.
 
Exit 4 said:
Um, I am referring to the b12 remnants.

And let’s be real, no way in hell we are invited back.
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Personally I am hoping in the discovery for the inevitable lawsuit it is established that ESPN willfully conspired with the ACC to disembowel the Big East thus setting off this whole poopfest of realignment and the court orders everyone back to their 2003 conferences. That could happen, right?
 
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CL82 said:
Personally I am hoping the discovery for the inevitable lawsuit it is established that ESPN willfully conspired with the ACC to disembowel the Big East thus setting off this whole poopfest of realignment and the court orders everyone back to their 2003 conferences. That could happen, right?
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I think all of that bluster goes nowhere in the long run. But hey, the poopfest could be fun anyway.
 
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