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.

[FloridaMan88]

Originally Posted by big nasty kcnut

nuthook i thought it was a football conference.

AAU status is the supposed pre-requisite to join the B1G... although they would have no doubt taken Notre Dame before the Fighting Irish officially became an AAU member.

[MarkDavis'Haircut]

Originally Posted by big nasty kcnut

nuthook i thought it was a football conference.

College presidents and networks decide conference realignment. Presidents treat conferences like country clubs. They want to hang out with like members. The Big 10 also provides billions in research money.

[RustShack]

Originally Posted by KChiefs1

I just like the guy & he is pretty in tune with the realignment stuff.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

In tune he was not.

[ROYC75]

Gonzaga & UConn being courted by B12 ?

https://www.cbssports.com/college-ba...023-24-season/

[RustShack]

Originally Posted by ROYC75

Gonzaga & UConn being courted by B12 ?

https://www.cbssports.com/college-ba...023-24-season/

I believe Yormark is interested in BBall only schools, but doesn’t have the full support of the conference presidents right now, so probably no Gonzaga. Sounds like UCONN is on the table for expansion, but I believe only if one more is needed. Sounds like Colorado could be making the jump back soon. A lot of people expect Arizona to come as well. So if only 1-3 of the “four corners” come UCONN would probably be the 2-4 addition.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by RustShack

I believe Yormark is interested in BBall only schools, but doesn’t have the full support of the conference presidents right now, so probably no Gonzaga. Sounds like UCONN is on the table for expansion, but I believe only if one more is needed. Sounds like Colorado could be making the jump back soon. A lot of people expect Arizona to come as well. So if only 1-3 of the “four corners” come UCONN would probably be the 2-4 addition.

All of the four corner schools are coming to the Big 12 once Colorado ditches the Pac.

All of them.

Write it in stone.

[Mr. Plow]

I just posted this in the KU thread. Don't know how accurate.



Colorado & Arizona moving to Big 12?

Radio host Greg Swaim, who is very plugged into the Big 12 landscape, reported over the weekend multiple sources have told him Colorado and Arizona are as good as gone from the PAC-12, but there’s no word yet on Utah or Arizona State.

Swaim’s reporting lines up with previous reports that the Buffaloes and Deion Sanders are getting ready to shock the college football world. However, the addition of Arizona getting ready to cut ties is new.

He also correctly noted nothing is final until the ink dries on whatever kind of media deal the PAC-12 might be able to scrounge up.

[RustShack]

Originally Posted by BWillie

All of the four corner schools are coming to the Big 12 once Colorado ditches the Pac.

All of them.

Write it in stone.

I think so too. But it’s sounded like for awhile that ASU and Utah think they are above the Big12.

[sedated]

Originally Posted by RustShack

I think so too. But it’s sounded like for awhile that ASU and Utah think they are above the Big12.

I heard an interview with a Utah guy that said Utah can't stand BYU (thinks of them the way we think about Texas) and they are very opposed to being in the same conference with them.

[BWillie]

Originally Posted by sedated

I heard an interview with a Utah guy that said Utah can't stand BYU (thinks of them the way we think about Texas) and they are very opposed to being in the same conference with them.

Well for a 10 to 15 M difference per year I bet they will reconsider.

[RustShack]

Originally Posted by sedated

I heard an interview with a Utah guy that said Utah can't stand BYU (thinks of them the way we think about Texas) and they are very opposed to being in the same conference with them.

I think that’s why UCONN is on the table. 2 or all 4 could come from the PAC, or if just 1 or 3 they have a backup option. The Big12 vetted a bunch of schools the last go round and went with the four of BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF. Kind of like Gonzaga and any other basketball only add, just because they are doing their research and due diligence doesn’t mean it’s going to happen.

So far I like this new commissioner a lot, he seems to be looking into every avenue and his previous good history and connections with ESPN and Fox was a plus as well.

[RustShack]

Originally Posted by BWillie

Well for a 10 to 15 M difference per year I bet they will reconsider.

Honestly I think it would be hilarious if Utah and ASU don’t join with the other two and then the Big12 only offers them partial shares for a number of years when they finally see the final PAC offer.

[FloridaMan88]

Big news coming?

[RustShack]

Originally Posted by KCChiefsFan88

Big news coming?

So when they left the Big12 for the PAC, they had a special board meeting worded they way they did yesterday on a Tuesday, then scheduled a public meeting for Friday which they also did again for this Friday.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by BWillie

All of the four corner schools are coming to the Big 12 once Colorado ditches the Pac.

All of them.

Write it in stone.

I would be surprised. I'm not convinced ASU is coming, but never say never.

I can see U-Conn, Arizona, and Colorado for now. Just only a matter of who's the 4th one is, and I can't quite get a read on the 4th one yet.