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.

[HolyHandgernade]

Appears OU and Texas are going to the PAC. Probably OSU, as well. Tech remains the shakiest, but will probably also get in as some concession to Texas.

UConn to ACC is heating up.

Saw a tweet that West Virginia has applied for membership to the SEC.

Not looking good at all.

[BmoreBills]

Originally Posted by HolyHandgernade

Saw a tweet that West Virginia has applied for membership to the SEC.

Not looking good at all.

That's awesome! Kentucky-West Virginia should be the key rivalry there (how about the Moonshine Jug?), and Tennessee-West Virginia would be interesting.

The Big Ten has to act now... there might not be a Big East for Baylor and Iowa State to join, either.

[jAZ]

Originally Posted by jAZ

A great post on one of the boards I frequent had the following to share. It's from a trusted poster with ties to the Pac-12 office.[/LIST][/I][/INDENT]

According to the same source "Barring a last minute change- Texas has decided to join the Pac 12."

Here are the latest details:
* Longhorn Network will "blend, dissolve or do whatever" into Pac-12 Network in a way that lets UT save face.
* Texas Tech, OU, OSU will join as well.
* A second league office in Dallas.
* FB Championship and BB Tourney rotates between LA & Dallas.

[kchero]

Originally Posted by jAZ

According to the same source "Barring a last minute change- Texas has decided to join the Pac 12."

Here are the latest details:
* Longhorn Network will "blend, dissolve or do whatever" into Pac-12 Network in a way that lets UT save face.
* Texas Tech, OU, OSU will join as well.
* A second league office in Dallas.
* FB Championship and BB Tourney rotates between LA & Dallas.

Sounds like the Pac12 made a deal with the devil just like the BIG 8 did.

[DeezNutz]

Pac-12 is especially concerned with the academic integrity of the conference, which is why, of the four schools being added, only one of which is worth a shit academically.

[BWillie]

KU is so f***ed unless Big 10 goes to 16 and KU gets in as the last choice @ 16.

UCONN to ACC. W Virginia to SEC. UT, OU, OU, TECH to Pac 16.

Conferences:
Big 10 (12 teams)
SEC (14 teams)
ACC (15 teams)
Pac (16 teams)

That essentially leaves 6 spots if there ends up being the 4 SUPERCONFERENCES


Remaining "BCS" teams not in AQ Conference (in order of perceived importance):
Notre Dame (Big 10?)
Missouri (Big 10? SEC?)
Kansas
Rutgers (Big 10?)
Kansas State
Iowa State
Louisville
South Florida
Baylor
Cincinnati

Other major players:
Boise State
TCU
BYU
New Mexico

[LiveSteam]

Rustshack will save the day

[Reerun_KC]

Originally Posted by BWillie007

KU is so f***ed unless Big 10 goes to 16 and KU gets in as the last choice @ 16.

Looks that way...

[Garcia Bronco]

Originally Posted by Mosbonian

I'm guessing this this is all just an assumption on your part.

There is no way Texas ever goes to the ACC. ACC teams aren't going to pay to travel to Texas.

[Buck]

Welcome to the MWC KU and K-State.

[Tactical Funky]

Originally Posted by Buck

Welcome to the MWC KU and K-State.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by Buck

Welcome to the MWC KU and K-State.

I heard on Fescoe's show that Texas has KU's back and wouldn't move to a new conference without Kansas, so there's nothing to worry about.

[LiveSteam]

If & when things do go BOOM! KSU & KU will head to the Big10
ISU & Baylor have the most to worry about.

[jAZ]

Originally Posted by kchero

Sounds like the Pac12 made a deal with the devil just like the BIG 8 did.

Details, details...

As this person explained it later, the agreement is that UT keeps their network in name only. The revenue split will be identical for all schools. Because 1/16th of the the Pac-16's TV deal will be worth more than all the proceeds from the LHN. So all 16 teams will get an even split. That lets UT save face, but get the deal together.

[CrazyPhuD]

Originally Posted by Buck

Welcome to the MWC KU and K-State.

Nah won't happen(at least for KU). Well at least not for BBall. Frankly it wouldn't even be that much of a big deal. KU would go independent at least for BBall. For football who really cares?