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.

[ChiefsCountry]

Well Syracuse and Pittsburgh are pretty much offical to the ACC now. Expect UConn and Rutgers to follow shortly. SEC will add Wes Virginia along with the Aggies. Big 12 could be adding Louisville, Cincinnati, and TCU.

[tk13]

It'll be funny if after all this posturing the B12 schools will have sat on their hands for so long that the ACC swooped in and saved their conference by destroying the Big East.

[DeezNutz]

Originally Posted by Stewie

KU has way more alumni than Syracuse. Syracuse, from what I can tell, has 14,000 undergraduate students. And they want to be a player?

I'm better looking than him, make more money, and live in a better house...yet she still won't go out with me! Why?

[alnorth]

regarding student population and alumni: there are lots of people who follow a college team even though they never went to that school. Notre Dame is one obvious example of this.

This is just anecdotal, but I have an uncle who is an absolute die-hard Auburn fan. Goes to several games a year, always wearing an AU hat, always ready to talk SEC football. He also never went to college. That doesn't matter though, because if you live in SEC country, chances are good you are going to follow SEC football because everyone around you is going to games and talking about it Monday morning.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by tk13

It'll be funny if after all this posturing the B12 schools will have sat on their hands for so long that the ACC swooped in and saved their conference by destroying the Big East.

Big East is done.

I don't see the Big 12 surviving without Texas stop insisting on running the conference.

[BmoreBills]

Originally Posted by alnorth

I wouldn't go that far. It still makes no sense for OU or UT to go west, and they wouldn't except for the bad feelings surrounding the LHN. If UT is facing the reality that they have no choice but to give in, then there may still be a deal to be struck here.

It makes no sense, but they are doing it anyway, as Baylor is going to the Big East, which is REALLY wacky.

[ArrowheadHawk]

Big 12 should swoop in and grab TCU, Louiville, and Cincy.

[Saul Good]

It doesn't matter what the Big XII does. Every team in the conference will be negotiating to find a way out and will take it at first opportunity. Didn't the last 12 months teach people anything?

Texas cheated on it's girlfriend, and the girlfriend may say that she wants to work things out with him. In reality, she's going to go bang the Harlem Globetrotters and dump his ass.

[Saulbadguy]

Yeah, I think the Big XII is *officially* dead now. ACC really kicked it off with the super conferences thing.

Unless congress gets involved, the 4-16 team super conferences will happen within the next couple of years.

[Crush]

The Big Ten really needs to change those stupid division names.

[RustShack]

Originally Posted by Brianfo

Big 12 is done. I am a clone too, but you are a fukn idiot. Quit posting. You embarass cyclone nation.

You're an idiot. The Big East and Big12 aren't both going to blow up. If a few teams leave each conference then the leftovers are going to combine in one if nothing else. But Texas and Oklahoma aren't leaving. They would have by now if it was happening, it only took Pitt and Syracuse one day.

[RustShack]

The whole Oklahoma to the Pac is just a ploy to get some control from Texas. Texas to the ACC is their bluff back to Oklahoma. Both teams are going to end up staying. There will be equal revenue sharing on at least the first two tier contracts. Most likely adding three BigE schools now even though just BYU has seemed the most likely until the BigE getting blown up yesterday. There is way too much money tied up in the Big12 right now, not to mention the exit fees schools are going to get from aTm. If Texas and Oklahoma do leave its going to activate the death pill clause and they will be on the hook for 70million that I don't think they want to pay the remaining Big12 schools. They are going to sign their new tier one contract in a few years and be making straight cash. Thats what its all about, Big12 isn't going anywhere.

[Mosbonian]

Originally Posted by RustShack

The whole Oklahoma to the Pac is just a ploy to get some control from Texas. Texas to the ACC is their bluff back to Oklahoma. Both teams are going to end up staying. There will be equal revenue sharing on at least the first two tier contracts. Most likely adding three BigE schools now even though just BYU has seemed the most likely until the BigE getting blown up yesterday. There is way too much money tied up in the Big12 right now, not to mention the exit fees schools are going to get from aTm. If Texas and Oklahoma do leave its going to activate the death pill clause and they will be on the hook for 70million that I don't think they want to pay the remaining Big12 schools. They are going to sign their new tier one contract in a few years and be making straight cash. Thats what its all about, Big12 isn't going anywhere.

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

[LiveSteam]

Originally Posted by Mosbonian

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

Its desperation on his part. I think it helps him sleep at night. It is bull shit. ISU FINALLY has a great thing going with Rhoads. & this bull shit has to come along & threaten to screw it up for ISU fan. GO ISU

[BmoreBills]

Originally Posted by RustShack

The whole Oklahoma to the Pac is just a ploy to get some control from Texas. Texas to the ACC is their bluff back to Oklahoma. Both teams are going to end up staying. There will be equal revenue sharing on at least the first two tier contracts. Most likely adding three BigE schools now even though just BYU has seemed the most likely until the BigE getting blown up yesterday. There is way too much money tied up in the Big12 right now, not to mention the exit fees schools are going to get from aTm. If Texas and Oklahoma do leave its going to activate the death pill clause and they will be on the hook for 70million that I don't think they want to pay the remaining Big12 schools. They are going to sign their new tier one contract in a few years and be making straight cash. Thats what its all about, Big12 isn't going anywhere.

When Baylor and Iowa State leave after Texas A&M, and Oklahoma and Oklahoma State bolt for the Pac-12, there won't be a need to redistribute the money.

If it is a ploy, it is being done EXTREMELY poorly!