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.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Rams Fan

Really?

He has tied the school record for consecutive bowl appearances, with a good chance to break it next year.

He ended a historic losing streak to Florida and a long road losing streak to Tennessee.

2018 was the first time since the 1970s that UK had won 5 SEC games in a season. Also the first time they finished with 10 wins since the 1970s.

How is that not turning them around?

He's 37-26 in his past 5 seasons (years 4-8 of his program, or second recruiting cycle). That's basically 7.5-4.5 each season, which is pretty good. There's still some upside left in the tank if Stoops can find a way to get better QB play.

They've done a great job building D and running game but have never had a really dynamic QB to take it to the next level and really push Florida and Georgia.

[RustShack]

It’s going to be interesting. Obviously the Big12 owns the rights to Texas and Oklahoma until 2025. Everyone assumes this is the last season of Big12 play. But why would the renaming 8 agree to let go of their rights until then? They would have to have new homes before voting dissolving they Big12, and new conferences would have to have their media contracts renegotiated to pay them more than the Big12 was.

It wouldn’t shock me at all of this is the final Big12 season. But the other conferences/media contracts would have to give the remaining 8(or at least 6) a reason to dissolve the Big12.

[ChiTown]

.@SINow has obtained the cease and desist letter that the Big 12 sent to ESPN.

In it, commissioner Bob Bowlsby says that ESPN has reached out to at least one of the eight remaining Big 12 members in an attempt to convince the school to leave in wake of the Texas and OU exit. pic.twitter.com/j50gEBPWBY

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) July 28, 2021

[Al Bundy]

Bowlsby is about to get skull****ed by the boys in Orlando.

[Sassy Squatch]

Mickey is ****ing ruthless.

Big 12: ESPN conspired with American to take “3-5” teams to AAC. Story up soon.

— Dennis Dodd (@dennisdoddcbs) July 28, 2021

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Al Bundy

Bowlsby is about to get skull****ed by the boys in Orlando.

Gonna have to disagree with you there champ.

[Al Bundy]

Originally Posted by Coach

Gonna have to disagree with you there champ.

Bowlsby is going to be flipping burgers in the biggest Entertainment McDonalds in Orlando after Mickey is done with him.

[Sassy Squatch]

Effectively kills the Big 12 so OU and UT have no exit fees and pulls the rest that can't get new homes into the AAC, which they control 100% of instead of 50% like the Big 12, and positions them as the new 5th best conference. That is some Game of Thrones shit.

[Jerm]

Originally Posted by Rams Fan

Really?

He has tied the school record for consecutive bowl appearances, with a good chance to break it next year.

He ended a historic losing streak to Florida and a long road losing streak to Tennessee.

2018 was the first time since the 1970s that UK had won 5 SEC games in a season. Also the first time they finished with 10 wins since the 1970s.

How is that not turning them around?

Maybe I’m too harsh lol…

[Sassy Squatch]

Bowlsby: "It causes me to further suspect they (ESPN) had their hands all over the Texas and Oklahoma move to the SEC. They were was deceptive as you can possibly be. There are right and wrong ways to these things. They sought to deceive us from the very beginning."

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) July 28, 2021

[FloridaMan88]

Bowlsby is Karen asking to speak to the manager while his dumpster fire conference is imploding.

[Sassy Squatch]

The Big 12 is digging in its heels.

Source within the conference: "It is imperative that the eight of us do not crack and we stay together for the four years and hold OU, Texas and ESPN to the contracts even if it is uncomfortable."

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) July 28, 2021

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by KCChiefsFan88

Bowlsby is Karen asking to speak to the manager while his dumpster fire conference is imploding.

I’m not sure you are reading this one correctly. ESPN was colluding to have the B12 dismantled. That’s kind of a big deal. They’re going to owe big time

[Sassy Squatch]

Originally Posted by ChiTown

I’m not sure you are reading this one correctly. ESPN was colluding to have the B12 dismantled. That’s kind of a big deal. They’re going to owe big time

I have little doubt this actually happened. I have much doubt that the Big 12 could successfully prove it in court.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Superturtle

I have little doubt this actually happened. I have much doubt that the Big 12 could successfully prove it in court.

If they didn't have evidence, they would have not sent a cease and deist letter.

The Big 12 clearly has evidence. This is a potentional breach of contract and tortious interference with a business relationship tort case.