Texas & OK ask to join SEC?

[WestHartHusk]

he didn’t do this himself. The schools want the Big 12 to be the surviving entity, because that gives them more leverage with ESPN.

If that is true, then the remaining members have determined they have nowhere to go because they just made themselves nuclear for another conference to touch.

 

[Ha Who]

Where are tweedle dee and tweedle dum and their press conferences? As someone who has walked in the shoes of the Big 12 survivors I don’t enjoy the sheetshow being produced by the four letter network

 

[hardcorehusky]

Aresco has juice!

 

[huskymedic]

 

[Adios]

College football is a mess and not getting any better

Went from amateur sport to corporate enterprise.

 

[CL82]

If this is so clear, why doesn’t Aresco do this? Hint: it is meaningless posturing and a sign of desperation and weakness.

It might not be, if he has what he said he has. Did you get chance to read the letter yet?

 

[TRest]

 

[nelsonmuntz]

If that is true, then the remaining members have determined they have nowhere to go because they just made themselves nuclear for another conference to touch.

If you let your customers violate your contract, then you don't have a contract. I don't know the specifics of the deal, and neither do you, but I have no problem with a party to a deal trying to enforce a deal.

The other thing the Big 12 realizes, which Aresco didn't, is that ESPN is rapidly running out of content and losing its market power.

 

[WestHartHusk]

It might not be, if he has what he said he has. Did you get chance to read the letter yet?

I did. And I don’t think he has enough to prove a case. We’d have to believe a Fortune 50 company with a deep legal department was outsmarted by Bowlsby. I’m not buying it.

I’m curious if he is willing to turn over his correspondence with TV networks while he put the AAC teams through a dog-and-pony show. That certainly affected the value of that league and those teams.

 

[TRest]

Didn’t name the 3-5 schools, no fun.

 

[CL82]

I did. And I don’t think he has enough to prove a case. We’d have to believe a Fortune 50 company with a deep legal department was outsmarted by Bowlsby. I’m not buying it.

I’m curious if he is willing to turn over his correspondence with TV networks while he put the AAC teams through a dog-and-pony show. That certainly affected the value of that league and those teams.

And if he’s got what he says he’s got my guess would be it’s less a matter of his outsmarting the mouse then ESPN thinking it’s bulletproof and not bothering the cover its tracks.

This may get interesting.

 

[WestHartHusk]

If you let your customers violate your contract, then you don't have a contract. I don't know the specifics of the deal, and neither do you, but I have no problem with a party to a deal trying to enforce a deal.

The other thing the Big 12 realizes, which Aresco didn't, is that ESPN is rapidly running out of content and losing its market power.

Publicly threaten one customer and you are likely to have no customers.

I got it, you think this is a good idea. It’s not. There are disputes daily of a magnitude that make this look like chump change that you won’t see because folks who plan to continue participating in an industry don’t thrash and threaten publicly. But Bowlsby is an old man who got owned, and he is dragging his member institutions into the bunker with him.

 

[Jimdish255]

Maybe it's not such a great idea to put 2 of your revenue generating leagues into a version of The Hunger Games in order to drive down the price. Depends on how you play your cards I guess. But apparently ESPN has been a little sloppy with their moves this time because the strategy worked so easily in the past.

 

[Jimdish255]

Publicly threaten one customer and you are likely to have no customers.

I got it, you think this is a good idea. It’s not. There are disputes daily of a magnitude that make this look like chump change that you won’t see because folks who plan to continue participating in an industry don’t thrash and threaten publicly. But Bowlsby is an old man who got owned, and he is dragging his member institutions into the bunker with him.

You're right to a point. But you have to gauge whether that customer is actively trying to blow up your entire business leaving you with zero leverage and begging for crumbs. All ESPN had to do was let desperation take it's course and the existing contract tick down. But they had to keep playing Wizard of Oz and got caught. It's not so cut and dry this time.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Publicly threaten one customer and you are likely to have no customers.

I got it, you think this is a good idea. It’s not. There are disputes daily of a magnitude that make this look like chump change that you won’t see because folks who plan to continue participating in an industry don’t thrash and threaten publicly. But Bowlsby is an old man who got owned, and he is dragging his member institutions into the bunker with him.

I have no idea what the facts are. Apparently you do. Are you going to be deposed?

How did Bowlsby get owned? Walk me through that. I see a guy losing to much more powerful enemies. He screwed up not adding teams 5 years ago, but there is not much he could have done to stop this once that die was cast.

I want to see the Big 12 fail, and fail badly. I would greatly enjoy watching the remaining Big 12 schools suffer for what they did to UConn 5 years ago. If there was a way for the Big 12 to fail while ESPN, Texas, Oklahoma and the SEC also take some serious hits, then that is realignment bingo.

But I disagree with the silly piling on that happens in these situations, where every decision the soon-to-be-loser makes is the stupidest decision in history. There are like 6 posters in the last two pages, including apparently a judge, arguing that the Big 12 has no legal options. That is just stupid.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Maybe it's not such a great idea to put 2 of your revenue generating leagues into a version of The Hunger Games in order to drive down the price. Depends on how you play your cards I guess. But apparently ESPN has been a little sloppy with their moves this time because the strategy worked so easily in the past.

I would like nothing more than ESPN having to broadcast lumberjack competitions in prime time.

 

[WestHartHusk]

I have no idea what the facts are. Apparently you do. Are you going to be deposed?

How did Bowlsby get owned? Walk me through that. I see a guy losing to much more powerful enemies. He screwed up not adding teams 5 years ago, but there is not much he could have done to stop this once that die was cast.

I want to see the Big 12 fail, and fail badly. I would greatly enjoy watching the remaining Big 12 schools suffer for what they did to UConn 5 years ago. If there was a way for the Big 12 to fail while ESPN, Texas, Oklahoma and the SEC also take some serious hits, then that is realignment bingo.

But I disagree with the silly piling on that happens in these situations, where every decision the soon-to-be-loser makes is the stupidest decision in history. There are like 6 posters in the last two pages, including apparently a judge, arguing that the Big 12 has no legal options. That is just stupid.

These facts are almost certainly like every other realignment event that has ever happened. Not one of which has exposed the “raiding” conference/network to liability. Not one. Why are you hanging out on a limb to argue this time is different?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

These facts are almost certainly like every other realignment event that has ever happened. Not one of which has exposed the “raiding” conference/network to liability. Not one. Why are you hanging out on a limb to argue this time is different?

ESPN gave the Big East an OK deal in 2002, and the Big East remained in the BCS. By the time the raid of the Big East was done, 14 of the 17 schools that were affiliated with the Big East from after BCU left until the final departure of Louisville were in significantly better position than they were when the raid started. UConn, USF and Cincinnati lost. Really, just UConn lost because USF and Cincinnati didn't belong in a major conference in the first place.

While it sucked for us, things worked out pretty well for the Big East schools. Tranghese and Martirano and the Presidents and AD's played the cards they were dealt, leveraged threats and legal action, and ended up better off for the most part.

The Big 12 is just following the Big East's playbook. While I think he will whiff completely, if Bowlsby gets 5 or 6 of the 8 remaining Big 12 teams into P4 leagues, those schools should erect a statue of him on their campuses.

 

[bendm]

Big 12 believes American is attempting to grab eight remaining members with Texas, Oklahoma leaving for SEC

Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby is not holding back as he tries to save his league with its powers leaving

www.cbssports.com

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Big 12 believes American is attempting to grab eight remaining members with Texas, Oklahoma leaving for SEC

Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby is not holding back as he tries to save his league with its powers leaving

www.cbssports.com

I would like this post 100 times if I could. There is some good stuff in there, particularly about the 99 year bylaws that Texas and Oklahoma demanded, and the ability of one member to sue on behalf of the league if they are left behind. This is going to be FUN!!!!!!!!!!

I had a professor at business school that warned us that no contract in the world could protect you if it was with someone that had no integrity and was willing to do anything. The Big 12 is learning that lesson about Texas, and it appears ESPN. I don't know how the Big 12 resolves this situation.

ESPN is learning the corollary to my professor's statement, which is that the only thing more dangerous than being in business with someone who has no integrity is being in business with a total moron, like Aresco. That dipstick may have gotten ESPN in a lot of trouble.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Publicly threaten one customer and you are likely to have no customers.

I got it, you think this is a good idea. It’s not. There are disputes daily of a magnitude that make this look like chump change that you won’t see because folks who plan to continue participating in an industry don’t thrash and threaten publicly. But Bowlsby is an old man who got owned, and he is dragging his member institutions into the bunker with him.

ESPN should be very concerned about how they played this. If half of the allegations are true, then some heads are probably going to roll at ESPN. The Mouse likes profits, but sending the message to content partners that you will stab them in the back, and getting on the wrong end of a lawsuit because your divisional management was stupid enough to partner with Aresco on a raid, shows a lack of judgment by the ESPN management. Easy solution for Disney is to get new management.

 

[LBird33]

LoL ESPN sucksb

 

[WestHartHusk]

ESPN gave the Big East an OK deal in 2002, and the Big East remained in the BCS. By the time the raid of the Big East was done, 14 of the 17 schools that were affiliated with the Big East from after BCU left until the final departure of Louisville were in significantly better position than they were when the raid started. UConn, USF and Cincinnati lost. Really, just UConn lost because USF and Cincinnati didn't belong in a major conference in the first place.

While it sucked for us, things worked out pretty well for the Big East schools. Tranghese and Martirano and the Presidents and AD's played the cards they were dealt, leveraged threats and legal action, and ended up better off for the most part.

The Big 12 is just following the Big East's playbook. While I think he will whiff completely, if Bowlsby gets 5 or 6 of the 8 remaining Big 12 teams into P4 leagues, those schools should erect a statue of him on their campuses.

I'm sorry, this makes no sense. How does issuing a cease and desist letter to ESPN, who has contracts with the PAC12, Big10, ACC and SEC, help any of these teams get into a P4 conference? That letter literally attempts to make that very outcome impossible.

 

[WestHartHusk]

ESPN should be very concerned about how they played this. If half of the allegations are true, then some heads are probably going to roll at ESPN. The Mouse likes profits, but sending the message to content partners that you will stab them in the back, and getting on the wrong end of a lawsuit because your divisional management was stupid enough to partner with Aresco on a raid, shows a lack of judgment by the ESPN management. Easy solution for Disney is to get new management.

This I agree with. But this is the only thing the Big12 institutions will get out of this gambit; is it worth it?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I'm sorry, this makes no sense. How does issuing a cease and desist letter to ESPN, who has contracts with the PAC12, Big10, ACC and SEC, help any of these teams get into a P4 conference? That letter literally attempts to make that very outcome impossible.

It is leverage. If ESPN's leadership is facing a potential multi-million dollar courtroom loss that will also embarrass them and may piss off other content providers, they may get into a deal-making mode. If it doesn't work, the Big 12 is no worse off than if they hadn't tried it in the first place.

I can promise you with 1000% certainty that asking nicely is not going to work here.

The Big East sued a whole bunch of schools. Worked out well for them.