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.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by Pants

This is true. We value it a lot.



Well, they don't because it doesn't. The point is that basketball is on national television a lot (not just ESPN) which means it's probably rather popular.

There's all sorts of stuff on ESPN that I don't give two shits about. At least basketball is a real sport - as opposed to shit like golf, racing and poker. I truly believe there's a large segment of the population that can be fairly easily programmed to like whatever ESPN thinks they should like.

[eazyb81]

LSU Chancellor says Mizzou would be a good fit.

http://theadvocate.com/sports/lsu/10...-panelist.html

As for the talk of Missouri becoming the SEC’s 14th member, Martin can “safely say” the college would be a good fit as a land-grant university near a large media market that would add prestige as an Association of American Universities member.

But Martin said there is no rush toward further growth as a “super conference,” especially because every decision has been “reactive” instead of based on a proper vision.

“In some ways the SEC is in the driver’s seat, but we’re not necessarily comfortable, because we’re not sure where we’re driving,” Martin said.

Martin said he believes stopping at 14 SEC teams is appropriate, rather than expanding to 16.

“I don’t see Texas following Texas A&M. I don’t see Oklahoma going anywhere without Oklahoma State,” he said.

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

I understand why a KU fan wouldn't want to trade programs, but I believe that the Big XII is doomed to fail. If it does, a strong football program is more likely to land a seat on a life boat than an elite basketball program. In my mind, priority #1 is to not get left on the outside looking in. Right now, there is no priority #2.

MU should think about getting a strong football program if that's the case.

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by frazod

Well, the flip side to that is when it's the ONLY THING YOU'VE GOT, you tend to value it more than others do. Sort of like Iowa and wrestling.

And ESPN would pimp bingo if they thought they'd make any money airing it.

No doubt, but you can look at that two ways. Iowa is good at wrestling because they like it and have been successful at it, and success breeds further success.

I think that also holds true with KU BB, and of course gaining traction with Mizzou football and......um ladies softball?

But really, I think CBS is a bigger factor, or at least as big in College BB as ESPN. I don't think too many events rival "March Madness."

"Despite CBS' contract to carry the tournament until 2013, the NCAA had the option of ending the agreement after the 2010 championship. This led to speculation that ESPN would snag the rights to future tournament games[14] However, on April 22, 2010, the NCAA signed a 14-year agreement with CBS and Turner Broadcasting System worth more than $10.8 billion, allowing CBS to continue airing the entire regional finals through the national championship, with CBS and Turner splitting coverage of earlier rounds in the now 68-team field. After 2015, the regional finals, Final Four and national championship will alternate between CBS and TBS."

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

No doubt, but you can look at that two ways. Iowa is good at wrestling because they like it and have been successful at it, and success breeds further success.

I think that also holds true with KU BB, and of course gaining traction with Mizzou football and......um ladies softball?

But really, I think CBS is a bigger factor, or at least as big in College BB as ESPN. I don't think too many events rival "March Madness."

"Despite CBS' contract to carry the tournament until 2013, the NCAA had the option of ending the agreement after the 2010 championship. This led to speculation that ESPN would snag the rights to future tournament games[14] However, on April 22, 2010, the NCAA signed a 14-year agreement with CBS and Turner Broadcasting System worth more than $10.8 billion, allowing CBS to continue airing the entire regional finals through the national championship, with CBS and Turner splitting coverage of earlier rounds in the now 68-team field. After 2015, the regional finals, Final Four and national championship will alternate between CBS and TBS."

CBB is poised to grow even more with the NBA lockout imo.

An $11 billion deal for a single tournament isn't a bad start.

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by frazod

There's all sorts of stuff on ESPN that I don't give two shits about. At least basketball is a real sport - as opposed to shit like golf, racing and poker. I truly believe there's a large segment of the population that can be fairly easily programmed to like whatever ESPN thinks they should like.

Ok, you got me here.

I love watching all of those things. I actually record the poker, and even watch the recordings more than once.

ESPN2 is the only place to catch NHRA drag racing, the fastest sport in the world, and I set on the edge of my seat watching golf.

College FB? Not so much, unless it is KU or K-State.

[veist]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

No doubt, but you can look at that two ways. Iowa is good at wrestling because they like it and have been successful at it, and success breeds further success.

I think that also holds true with KU BB, and of course gaining traction with Mizzou football and......um ladies softball?

But really, I think CBS is a bigger factor, or at least as big in College BB as ESPN. I don't think too many events rival "March Madness."

"Despite CBS' contract to carry the tournament until 2013, the NCAA had the option of ending the agreement after the 2010 championship. This led to speculation that ESPN would snag the rights to future tournament games[14] However, on April 22, 2010, the NCAA signed a 14-year agreement with CBS and Turner Broadcasting System worth more than $10.8 billion, allowing CBS to continue airing the entire regional finals through the national championship, with CBS and Turner splitting coverage of earlier rounds in the now 68-team field. After 2015, the regional finals, Final Four and national championship will alternate between CBS and TBS."

And really, that new deal led to the first time you could watch every tourney game on TV right? I'm not saying basketball is going to suddenly jump football in revenue because a) its not, b) its not and c) this is a football crazy country but there is still a ton of room for basketball revenue to grow. Live sports programming draws eyeballs consistently and your production cost for it is really just the rights fees. With more channels expanding to broadcasting live sports and the fact that it takes megabucks to get a good football game it really wouldn't surprise me to see some explosive growth in basketball coverage as time goes on and more coverage means more revenue.

[Pants]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

Ok, you got me here.

I love watching all of those things. I actually record the poker, and even watch the recordings more than once.

ESPN2 is the only place to catch NHRA drag racing, the fastest sport in the world, and I set on the edge of my seat watching golf.

College FB? Not so much, unless it is KU or K-State.

What do you mean? People have different tastes?

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

Ok, you got me here.

I love watching all of those things. I actually record the poker, and even watch the recordings more than once.

ESPN2 is the only place to catch NHRA drag racing, the fastest sport in the world, and I set on the edge of my seat watching golf.

College FB? Not so much, unless it is KU or K-State.

Tune into Mizzou this weekend to see some hard hitting action vs ISU...

oh, wait

[Anyong Bluth]

This brings up a TCU question. Why would KU, ISU, KSU, andy Baylor agree to let in TCU? If the realignment to 4 16s happens, TCU would possibly have been behind all of you in the pecking order. Now they may be ahead of all of you. Also, you just let another Texas team into your conference, and you won't be able to beat them out for head-to-head recruits, as you ceded to them your competitive advantage.

Word on the street too is that TCU's AD is s real ballbuster & def. wouldn't put up w shit or be a puppet to UT.

-- Sent from my HP TouchPad using Communities

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by HemiEd

No doubt, but you can look at that two ways. Iowa is good at wrestling because they like it and have been successful at it, and success breeds further success.

I think that also holds true with KU BB, and of course gaining traction with Mizzou football and......um ladies softball?

But really, I think CBS is a bigger factor, or at least as big in College BB as ESPN. I don't think too many events rival "March Madness."

"Despite CBS' contract to carry the tournament until 2013, the NCAA had the option of ending the agreement after the 2010 championship. This led to speculation that ESPN would snag the rights to future tournament games[14] However, on April 22, 2010, the NCAA signed a 14-year agreement with CBS and Turner Broadcasting System worth more than $10.8 billion, allowing CBS to continue airing the entire regional finals through the national championship, with CBS and Turner splitting coverage of earlier rounds in the now 68-team field. After 2015, the regional finals, Final Four and national championship will alternate between CBS and TBS."

Still doesn't mean anything to me, other than having to listen to my wife bitch because all the goddamn basketball games screw up her TV shows.

I certainly understand why you beakers like it so much. But as I have said before, I never ever ever cared about basketball. I never played it as a kid, I never watched it as a kid. Nobody in my family cares about it or watches it. I did, however, watch and play (albeit badly) football and baseball as a kid.

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by veist

And really, that new deal led to the first time you could watch every tourney game on TV right? I'm not saying basketball is going to suddenly jump football in revenue because a) its not, b) its not and c) this is a football crazy country but there is still a ton of room for basketball revenue to grow. Live sports programming draws eyeballs consistently and your production cost for it is really just the rights fees. With more channels expanding to broadcasting live sports and the fact that it takes megabucks to get a good football game it really wouldn't surprise me to see some explosive growth in basketball coverage as time goes on and more coverage means more revenue.

My memory is kind of fuzzy on that, but I used to buy a DTV package called "March Madness" and could always catch every game I wanted to see. I know it has changed now, maybe for the better because I don't think I had to pay for it last year.

Originally Posted by Pants

What do you mean? People have different tastes?

For sure.
The poker craze has been phenominal, and watching it is almost as good as playing it, plus you get to keep your money!
The NHRA is dying, as it is mostly old farts like me that pay any attention to it. They have tried to involve the rice burner driving youth, but I am not sure how well that is working out.
Golf is on EVERY major network, including their own, so that speaks for itself.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by Wickedson

Tune into Mizzou this weekend to see some hard hitting action vs ISU...

oh, wait

Hopefully the KU game will be televised. I'd hate for your to miss a second of them getting the shit kicked out of them by [insert random opponent's name here].

[HemiEd]

Originally Posted by frazod

Still doesn't mean anything to me, other than having to listen to my wife bitch because all the goddamn basketball games screw up her TV shows.

I certainly understand why you beakers like it so much. But as I have said before, I never ever ever cared about basketball. I never played it as a kid, I never watched it as a kid. Nobody in my family cares about it or watches it. I did, however, watch and play (albeit badly) football and baseball as a kid.

That makes sense, and kind of ties into what we have been saying.

To be honest, KU was tied for second with K-State around my house, behind WSU. All three schools have a very rich basketball tradition, football not so much.

Bill Snyder changed some of that, as 2 out of 3 Ford F150s/Chevy Silvarados in the state of Kansas have had a purple and silver front tag for years now.

[Pants]

Originally Posted by frazod

Hopefully the KU game will be televised. I'd hate for your to miss a second of them getting the shit kicked out of them by [insert random opponent's name here].

Yeah, we're riding the coattails of Oklahoma all the way to another curbstomp on national TV.