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.

[Sassy Squatch]

The AAC has no comment on whether it conspired with ESPN to acquire 3-5 Big 12 teams. @SportsDayDFW @ChuckCarltonDMN

— Joseph Hoyt (@JoeJHoyt) July 28, 2021

why the **** wouldn't you just deny it.

[RustShack]

It’s just wild ESPN thought they could move 3-5 schools to the AAC, without paying them equal to more than they would make through 2025 in the Big12.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Chiefspants

I wish anyone luck going up against the Mouse.

This ain't the "biting the hand that feeds them" deal. This is about that same hand also abuses them, and guess what, they have the right to defend themselves.

You most certainly don't rob a conference 20 million a year and just expect to skate by. They're giving the mouse the "**** you" treatment. That mouse was in bed with OU, Texas and the SEC, and guess what? Everyone knows it.

Somehow, the Mouse dropped the ball by engaging in the conduct for the sole purpose of injuring the plaintiff. And apparently there's documented evidence of it.

To summarize, the Big 12 just bluntly said "why don't you **** around and find out" to the Mouse, and the Mouse ****ed around, and guess what?

He's finding out now.

[Sassy Squatch]

All they'll say is the AAC acted out of self preservation to avoid being poached themselves.

[RustShack]

It’s too bad, my son likes watching Micky Mouse.

[RustShack]

Originally Posted by Superturtle

All they'll say is the AAC acted out of self preservation to avoid being poached themselves.

Would be much easier to say, if there weren’t evidence of ESPN pressuring it.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Superturtle

All they'll say is the AAC acted out of self preservation to avoid being poached themselves.

Do you think that the AAC and ESPN or even UT and OU want to have a university president, AD, or a BOR member testifying on stand with their right hand raised and under oath, especially now?

I doubt that. They'll want to avoid that as much as possible now that this has spilled over.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Superturtle

All they'll say is the AAC acted out of self preservation to avoid being poached themselves.

Oh by the way, it's also a possible antitrust law violation.

That's a big one.

[Sassy Squatch]

Originally Posted by Coach

Do you think that the AAC and ESPN or even UT and OU want to have a university president, AD, or a BOR member testifying on stand with their right hand raised and under oath, especially now?

I doubt that. They'll want to avoid that as much as possible now that this has spilled over.

They'll bank on the remains of the Big 12 imploding first and if it gets close to litigation time they'll just pony up the fees and be on their way is my guess.

[RustShack]

Originally Posted by Coach

Oh by the way, it's also a possible antitrust law violation.

That's a big one.

There’s a ton on violations with Texas and OU alone, especially if they want to leave before 25. But purposely trying to get rid of a conference you have media contracts with for your own gain? Boy oh boy. That’s like getting caught burning down your own house to collect insurance… but on a much larger scale.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Superturtle

They'll bank on the remains of the Big 12 imploding first and if it gets close to litigation time they'll just pony up the fees and be on their way is my guess.

Look. As explained before, the Big 12 would not have rattled this chain unless they know there’s a pretty serious legal argument behind it. ESPN must be pretty complicit here and the Big 12 believe they have a smoking gun.

[Chief Pagan]

Originally Posted by Coach

Oh by the way, it's also a possible antitrust law violation.

That's a big one.

I can see why it would be a PR hit for ESPN, but why is it illegal. Schools can leave their conference, right? Hasn't it happened before?

[Coach]

Originally Posted by RustShack

There’s a ton on violations with Texas and OU alone, especially if they want to leave before 25. But purposely trying to get rid of a conference you have media contracts with for your own gain? Boy oh boy. That’s like getting caught burning down your own house to collect insurance… but on a much larger scale.

*ding ding ding*

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Chief Pagan

I can see why it would be a PR hit for ESPN, but why is it illegal. Schools can leave their conference, right? Hasn't it happened before?

The accusation is that they (ESPN) tried to get UT and OU them to leave earlier. This is what they're claiming to have evidence of that, that UT and OU didn't have to pay big buyouts and ESPN didn't have to pay the rest of the billion dollars remaining on the TV contract with the Big 12 because the Big 12 would have imploded.

[Sassy Squatch]

Originally Posted by Coach

Look. As explained before, the Big 12 would not have rattled this chain unless they know there’s a pretty serious legal argument behind it. ESPN must be pretty complicit here and the Big 12 believe they have a smoking gun.

Just doesn't seem like the Big 12 has some smoking gun of evidence if their main threat revolves around the other side not wanting to take the stand.

Rattling the chain is legitimately all they have left. Why not try and scare UT and OU into either honoring their remaining years or the buyout without much of a fuss?