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.

[tredadda]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

It improves the basketball brand. Football matters. So do national brands, and kansas remains a national brand.

When you look at what's left of other big schools, I'm not sure where else the B1G would go as it tries to expand.

Good points and that might be what gets them in if that's what the B1G is looking at. I just wonder if logistically and from an improving BB brand as well as market if Villanova would be a better get. They don't have the history of KU, but they have a very good BB program and are in the huge Philly market. I do think of the remaining Big 12 schools they are the most appealing to add.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by tredadda

Good points and that might be what gets them in if that's what the B1G is looking at. I just wonder if logistically and from an improving BB brand as well as market if Villanova would be a better get. They don't have the history of KU, but they have a very good BB program and are in the huge Philly market. I do think of the remaining Big 12 schools they are the most appealing to add.

Villanova's issue is the football imprint and academic fit.

Yes, it's a private school with a strong academic rep, but the B1G is also pretty set on schools it adds being large research-based institutions with a broad range of degree programs and large alum bases.

And in football, they have a 12,000 seat stadium and play in the FCS division (where they HAVE won a national title). I think that makes Nova a non-starter.

UConn, on the other hand... I could see that... wouldn't add MUCH re: football, but it is a national basketball brand (still) and has a FBS football program that hasn't been a total embarrassment at times.

[tredadda]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Villanova's issue is the football imprint and academic fit.

Yes, it's a private school with a strong academic rep, but the B1G is also pretty set on schools it adds being large research-based institutions with a broad range of degree programs and large alum bases.

And in football, they have a 12,000 seat stadium and play in the FCS division (where they HAVE won a national title). I think that makes Nova a non-starter.

UConn, on the other hand... I could see that... wouldn't add MUCH re: football, but it is a national basketball brand (still) and has a FBS football program that hasn't been a total embarrassment at times.

UConn is a possibility. Never considered them. They would make more sense than KU if for nothing else logistics.

[lawrenceRaider]

Originally Posted by Mizzou_8541

I couldn’t care less about your fandom, or what you think about mine. Have a good weekend.

You "root" for Mizzou, so of course you don't care about Fandom of a team. Y'all chant SEC because you have nothing on your own.

[Sassy Squatch]

[FloridaMan88]

Originally Posted by tredadda

UConn is a possibility. Never considered them. They would make more sense than KU if for nothing else logistics.

UConn is not an AAU school, the Big 10 won’t take them.

[Hoover]

Originally Posted by tredadda

I am not a KU basher, but I ask honestly why would they? What does KU bring to the table? They don't check off any boxes that this expansion and realignment is about. Weak FB program, small media market (KC is not purely KU territory). If basketball was a driving force then they could have just offered an invite to a Villanova or Georgetown (much larger markets).

I do hope KU lands on their feet and it would be cool if they make it to the B1G, I just don't see what that conference gains from KU joining.

my bad, I was actually referring to the Big Ten taking Texas A&M if they are but hurt

[hawkchief]

Originally Posted by Mizzou_8541

Sorry bout you luck, bruh. Your school is an afterthought.

If KU is an afterthought, what does that make Mizzou? KU actually has won national championships in major sports and has a top 3-5 all-time blue blood major sports program that is relevant every year and historically. Mizzou has nothing remotely like that, in any sport, ever. Might want to rethink your foolish statement.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by tredadda

small media market (KC is not purely KU territory).

Sure, sire. KC is a small media market that just so happens to have 3 pro sports teams in it.

As for splitting this market, you could say that about *any* college. There isn’t a market out there, maybe outside Austin TX, that isn’t split between schools. The issue is “dominance” and KU obv dominates the market. 105,000 alums within an hour of downtown is one metric.

I do hope KU lands on their feet and it would be cool if they make it to the B1G, I just don't see what that conference gains from KU joining.

Maybe you should ask: what does KU gain from that conference? I’m not seeing many benefits at all, athletically.

[Sassy Squatch]

Told zero chance Texas A&M considers exiting SEC over Texas and Oklahoma entrance: https://t.co/AaTgSnJRro

— Brent Zwerneman (@BrentZwerneman) July 24, 2021

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by Superturtle

Told zero chance Texas A&M considers exiting SEC over Texas and Oklahoma entrance: https://t.co/AaTgSnJRro

— Brent Zwerneman (@BrentZwerneman) July 24, 2021

That needed to be said?

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by Mizzou_8541

Much worse. Ku has nothing to improve a conference. Such a small population that nobody cares about. They don’t have the history of Duke to bring in, and the sustained success as Kentucky to consider as a member. They don’t have the population or national following. If their football team won more than a few games a decade they be a great fit in B1G. Instead they are mad a Mizzou for some reason. It’s weird. They say we are irrelevant but blame all of this on us. Are we irrelevant or not?

KU is a great fit for any conference that have a subscription channel. KU has one of the largest CBB fanbases in the country. What does that mean? A ton of subscriptions.

How ppl watch TV is changing due to cable becoming more and more a thing of the past. 10 yrs ago it was more about what market does a school bring. For example, Rutgers gets you some NY/NJ cable money regardless if anybody actually watches them or not. Now in 2021 with more stand alone subscription services, market location doesn't mean as much. This is actually GOOD for KU because KU bball fans WILL buy whatever network has their bball games. And there are alot of us. They have a big alumni base and that's alot of subscriptions to sell.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by BryanBusby

****ing nobody is watching KU football. Nobody.

That's where the juice is at for the conference.

They dont have to. Because all of the KU bball fans will still buy the Big 10 Network.

[Chief Roundup]

[Hoover]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

Its and entertaining listen but its clear these guys don't know shit and can't even comprehend what's going on. Its not about getting conferences to 16 teams. Its about money, which means brands and TV contracts, and control