New Conference re-alignment thread

[Saulbadguy]

The old one has AIDS.

Anyways, Chip Brown from Orangebloods.com reports OU may apply to the Pac-12 by the end of the month.

Oklahoma will apply for membership to the Pac-12 before the end of the month, and Oklahoma State is expected to follow suit, a source close to OU's administration told Orangebloods.com.

Even though Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said Friday the Pac-12 was not interested in expansion at this time, OU's board of regents is fed up with the instability in the Big 12, the source said.

The OU board of regents will meet within two weeks to formalize plans to apply for membership to the Pac-12, the source said.

Messages left Sunday night with OU athletic director Joe Castiglione and Oklahoma State athletic director Mike Holder were not immediately returned.

If OU follows through with what appears to be a unanimous sentiment on the seven-member Oklahoma board of regents to leave the Big 12, realignment in college athletics could be heating back up. OU's application would be matched by an application from Oklahoma State, the source said, even though OSU president Burns Hargis and mega-booster Boone Pickens both voiced their support for the Big 12 last Thursday.

There is differing sentiment about if the Pac-12 presidents and chancellors are ready to expand again after bringing in Colorado and Utah last year and landing $3 billion TV contracts from Fox and ESPN. Colorado president Bruce Benson told reporters last week CU would be opposed to any expansion that might bring about east and west divisions in the Pac-12.

Currently, there are north and south divisions in the Pac-12. If OU and OSU were to join, Larry Scott would have to get creative.

Scott's orginal plan last summer was to bring in Colorado, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State and put them in an eastern division with Arizona and Arizona State. The old Pac-8 schools (USC, UCLA, Cal, Stanford, Oregon, Oregon State, Washington and Washington State) were to be in the west division.

Colorado made the move in June 2010, but when Texas A&M was not on board to go west, the Big 12 came back together with the help of its television partners (ABC/ESPN and Fox).

If Oklahoma and Oklahoma State were accepted into the Pac-12, there would undoubtedly be a hope by Larry Scott that Texas would join the league. But Texas sources have indicated UT is determined to hang onto the Longhorn Network, which would not be permissible in the Pac-12 in its current form.

Texas sources continue to indicate to Orangebloods.com that if the Big 12 falls apart, the Longhorns would consider "all options."

Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe held an emergency conference call 10 days ago with league presidents excluding Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M and asked the other league presidents to "work on Texas" because Beebe didn't think the Pac-12 would take Oklahoma without Texas.

Now, it appears OU is willing to take its chances with the Pac-12 with or without Texas.

There seemed to be a temporary pause in any possible shifting of the college athletics' landscape when Baylor led a charge to tie up Texas A&M's move to the Southeastern Conference in legal red tape. BU refused to waive its right to sue the SEC over A&M's departure from the Big 12, and the SEC said it would not admit Texas A&M until it had been cleared of any potential lawsuits.

Baylor, Kansas and Iowa State have indicated they will not waive their right to sue the SEC.

It's unclear if an application by OU to the Pac-12 would draw the same threats of litigation against the Pac-12 from those Big 12 schools.

Stay tuned.

[eazyb81]

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by eazyb81

This is key.

What concessions would need to be made to make Missouri, as well as the rest of the Big 12, happy and content with this league's future?

To me, the linchpin in all of this is LHN, and I don't see any scenario where UT modifies it. More likely, I expect they will either bring OU into the fold, or pair with ESPN to help OU do something similar.

Not sure what Missouri's demands will be, but I would assume 100 percent resource sharing, rather than just first- and second-tier rights, is part of it.

I also think the expansion would have to include moves OUTSIDE the state of Texas.

From what I was told this morning, I think the demands list is going to be unreachable. If the demands shockingly are met, Missouri would stay in the Big 12 with a MUCH stronger hand than before. If they aren't? Deuces.

[Mosbonian]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

This thread seem to be developing a case of the AIDS as well. Let's see if I can pro-tease inhibitor it back to respectability...

Talked to a few people this morning. I'm convinced of a few things:

1) The national media outlets assuming Missouri is GOOD in the Big 12 are overlooking what I think is obvious to those of us who follow Mizzou closely: Last night was a warning shot fired over the bow of the rest of the Big 12. That looked like a very carefully scripted show, designed to set Missouri up to either bolt or make big demands of OU and Tex.

2) The phrase "Proud members of the Big 12" was purposely left out by Deaton. If you start hearing them use this phrasing, we'll know Missouri is staying put.

3) The SEC wants to get to 14, and it wants to do it with Missouri if the Tigers can extricate themselves from the mess that is the Big 12.

4) If UT and OU make the concessions Missouri wants, the Tigers might stay. Of course, UT didn't even make all the concessions OU wanted, so its doubtful they make them for 'lil ole Missouri.'

See...this I can be comfortable with if it is true.

I want the university to kick both UT and OK in the ass and let them know there are more than just 2 players in this conference.

Both are not playing with any sense of strength since they were rejected by the PAC 12. So it's time to make them realize if we stay it will be on better ground.

But I think Texas' ego won't let them allow that...and for that matter neither will OU's.

[Mosbonian]

Originally Posted by eazyb81

This is key.

What concessions would need to be made to make Missouri, as well as the rest of the Big 12, happy and content with this league's future?

To me, the linchpin in all of this is LHN, and I don't see any scenario where UT modifies it. More likely, I expect they will either bring OU into the fold, or pair with ESPN to help OU do something similar.

If that happens....MU should bolt.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by Wickedson

Of course you want to be in a conference that has good balance.

All the conferences that are deemed desirable to be in have football and bball money rolling in.

Big East Football is not good. Pitt leaving makes it worse.

If the Big 12 had shitty football everyone would want to leave as well.

Balance has nothing to do with it. Total dollars are what matter. Do you think the SEC is balanced between football and basketball?

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by |Zach|

I will give you 6 million of pure profit. You still can't touch University of Colorado football. Who barely looks like they know how to play football.



That and all the deals other schools get that will only credited to KU in your world.

Sure but basketball rules !!111!!!

[Saul Good]

Iowa State will join the Mountain West, Mizzou will join the SEC, and the schools from Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas will form the KOTex conference for bleeding vaginas.

[HolyHandgernade]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

This thread seem to be developing a case of the AIDS as well. Let's see if I can pro-tease inhibitor it back to respectability...

Talked to a few people this morning. I'm convinced of a few things:

1) The national media outlets assuming Missouri is GOOD in the Big 12 are overlooking what I think is obvious to those of us who follow Mizzou closely: Last night was a warning shot fired over the bow of the rest of the Big 12. That looked like a very carefully scripted show, designed to set Missouri up to either bolt or make big demands of OU and Tex.

2) The phrase "Proud members of the Big 12" was purposely left out by Deaton. If you start hearing them use this phrasing, we'll know Missouri is staying put.

3) The SEC wants to get to 14, and it wants to do it with Missouri if the Tigers can extricate themselves from the mess that is the Big 12.

4) If UT and OU make the concessions Missouri wants, the Tigers might stay. Of course, UT didn't even make all the concessions OU wanted, so its doubtful they make them for 'lil ole Missouri.'

I think its mostly a show. Baylor threatened to sue if A&M left, I don't imagine that is going away if Mizzou decides to do as well. If the SEC was going to put a condition in A&M, you can sure as hell bet they will on Mizzou too. If 100% revenue sharing is what Mizzou is demanding, they aren't gonna get it. They may get some kind of concession, but it won't be that.

[Mosbonian]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Iowa State will join the Mountain West, Mizzou will join the SEC, and the schools from Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas will form the KOTex conference for bleeding vaginas.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by DaKCMan AP

Syracuse, the "basketball school", leaves the best basketball conference in the country for the ACC. Why? Their football revenues will be MUCH higher from the ACC's TV contract than they received while in the Big East.

You keep bringing up why the ACC would want Syracuse. Their football viewership numbers are larger than many of the other possible additions to their conference.

They'll own the I-95 corridor from Florida through Connecticut - that's what make Syracuse so attractive.

The next TV contract will be enormous for the ACC and it will be in large part because they will essentially have every major school from Miami all the way up the Eastern Sea board in their footprint.

[Mr_Tomahawk]

Just checking in...


So you guys figure this out yet?

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by frazod

I rather enjoyed Syracuse's last championship.

The Tigers and their fans had a comfortable seat at home to watch it, correct?

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

This thread seem to be developing a case of the AIDS as well. Let's see if I can pro-tease inhibitor it back to respectability...

Talked to a few people this morning. I'm convinced of a few things:

1) The national media outlets assuming Missouri is GOOD in the Big 12 are overlooking what I think is obvious to those of us who follow Mizzou closely: Last night was a warning shot fired over the bow of the rest of the Big 12. That looked like a very carefully scripted show, designed to set Missouri up to either bolt or make big demands of OU and Tex.

2) The phrase "Proud members of the Big 12" was purposely left out by Deaton. If you start hearing them use this phrasing, we'll know Missouri is staying put.

3) The SEC wants to get to 14, and it wants to do it with Missouri if the Tigers can extricate themselves from the mess that is the Big 12.

4) If UT and OU make the concessions Missouri wants, the Tigers might stay. Of course, UT didn't even make all the concessions OU wanted, so its doubtful they make them for 'lil ole Missouri.'

I was pretty amazed at the language used in that press conference. Deaton hedged far more than I thought he would. I'm not at all convinced that MU isn't still looking to get out. UT and OU and running their own little show right now and I don't think MU is going to be able to nudge their way into the conversation. I hope someone grabs some cajones and either mans up to OU and UT, or decides its time to get off this sinking ship before we go from having one evil overloard (UT) to Co evil overloards in UT and OU (looking pretty likely).

The other thing I took from it: Good God, what a pointy-headed little dweeb we have running our University. I've been in OK for the last few days listening to guys from A&M, UT, OU and OSU talking and they all sound like decision makers and aggressive leaders.

Deaton sounds like an eager little poindexter. I know, it's superficial and it's stupid, but I just can't listen to that dude stammer in his high-pitched little voice and think "yeah, this guy is totally going to go toe to toe with Dodds and Boren..."

I also couldn't help but giggle about the fact that he referred to his chairmanship and his 'leadership position' no less than 3 times in response to 3 different questions in the first 5 minutes of the presser. The guy absolutely loves his shiny new title.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

The Tigers and their fans had a comfortable seat at home to watch it, correct?

Like I actually watched it.

Hooked two so far.....

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by HolyHandgernade

I think its mostly a show. Baylor threatened to sue if A&M left, I don't imagine that is going away if Mizzou decides to do as well. If the SEC was going to put a condition in A&M, you can sure as hell bet they will on Mizzou too. If 100% revenue sharing is what Mizzou is demanding, they aren't gonna get it. They may get some kind of concession, but it won't be that.

Baylor threatened to sue if the Big 12 collapsed due to aTm's move, because it looked like that would cause the complete destruction of the league.

In this case, if OU and UT are committed to the Big 12 (and where else are they going to go at this point?) and it survives, there are no grounds for a lawsuit.

If Missouri leaves before signing the new agreements, they wouldn't be in violation of any league bylaws. They wouldn't have broken any TV contracts or caused any long-term problems.

Basically, UT and OU are staying, so the league will survive. And ESPN has already stated it won't alter the tv deal. They really can't, or risk being sued as well.