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.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by track

Disagree....MU leaves the conference then they are clearly saying they don't support the Big 12 and the teams in the Big 12...in essence they are seeking a divorce from the Big 12 schools. I can't imagine any big 12 team that would schedule MU under those circumstances nor can I envision any fans of schools in the Big 12 wanting to have anything to do with MU or A and M.

Why play non-conference games at all, then? Kansas has 3 or 4 games to schedule each year. This year, Kansas scheduled Georgia Tech, Northern Illinois, and McNeese State.

I defy you to make a single argument as to why any one of those teams makes more sense for KU to play than Mizzou. It's certainly not like Missouri needs that game in order to generate interest in the football team. Outside of the Mizzou game at Arrowhead, there is not one compelling game on their schedule with the possible exception of KSU.

Your home schedule next year looks something like:

McNeese State
Northern Illinois
Oklahoma State
Texas
Iowa State
Louisville

Now THAT is a compelling reason to buy season tickets. Not even Bob Davis can get excited about that.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

Yep. If KU doesn't want the $1.25 million dollars or so to play MU then MU can move the Florida or Alabama game to Arrowhead and have SEC football right in the backyard of Big 12 country. I wonder how that will taste in Jayhawk land.

That would be amazing, but the reason it works for KU/MU is the fact that both games give up their home games to play it. MU could play Alabama at Arrowhead instead of Faurot, but they're still playing in Tuscaloosa every other year.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by Brock

It would be fantastic. I would go to that game.

As I would. But apparently KU doesn't need that million dollars for their football program.

[kstater]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

As I would. But apparently KU doesn't need that million dollars for their football program.

Even at only 35k tickets sold at 40 bucks brings in over 1.4 million if the kept their non conference games at home.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by kstater

Even at only 35k tickets sold at 40 bucks brings in over 1.4 million if the kept their non conference games at home.

As long as expenses are $0, that's a good deal for KU.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

That would be amazing, but the reason it works for KU/MU is the fact that both games give up their home games to play it. MU could play Alabama at Arrowhead instead of Faurot, but they're still playing in Tuscaloosa every other year.

I realize that but if KU\K-St\Iowa St decide not to play us then I think that is what MU should do. It would be a huge money maker and probably would partially make up for the lack of the Big 12 tournament.

[WilliamTheIrish]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

Yep. If KU doesn't want the $1.25 million dollars or so to play MU then MU can move the Florida or Alabama game to Arrowhead and have SEC football right in the backyard of Big 12 country. I wonder how that will taste in Jayhawk land.

I'll take 10 tickets please!

[Al Bundy]

Originally Posted by kstater

Took Holtz to smack the former Forskin back down to size.

[WilliamTheIrish]

I think we have the answer to MU leaving. Now it's time to determine who will replace them

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by WilliamTheIrish

I think we have the answer to MU leaving. Now it's time to determine who will replace them

Louisville will be announced on Thursday is my semi-educated guess.

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by WilliamTheIrish

I think we have the answer to MU leaving. Now it's time to determine who will replace them

Missouri State. It will be like MU never left. [/Keitzman]

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Louisville will be announced on Thursday is my semi-educated guess.

Memphis shortly thereafter, maybe followed by Cincinati?

[mnchiefsguy]

Whomever they get to replace Mizzou is going to have to be available to play in the league next year, or the Fox Tier 2 TV deal will fall apart. It requires the league to be at ten teams. BYU is the best immediate option, unless they can get Louisville out of the Big East without the 27 month penalty.

[baitism]

Mormons and Christians living together!

[Mr. Plow]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

Yep. If KU doesn't want the $1.25 million dollars or so to play MU then MU can move the Florida or Alabama game to Arrowhead and have SEC football right in the backyard of Big 12 country. I wonder how that will taste in Jayhawk land.

Won't happen.