BREAKING Sec additions–Texas, Oklahoma inquire about joining SEC per report

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TideEngineer08

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My point is that neither Texas or Oklahoma are going to own a division if we keep the division format. Alabama, Auburn, LSU, Georgia, and Florida are basically going to be still going to be the ones really competing for Atlanta. I don’t think having it permanently in North Texas is fair for the fan bases that are actually going to be in the game. I’m fine with putting it in a Centralized location like New Orleans or having it rotate. But Texas using that argument (because they will) is just stupid.
New Orleans would be logical for a new permanent home. Otherwise, it will rotate. Hell, even LSU likely wants to move farther west, but just never had anyone that would agree with them. Obviously they would love to have it in New Orleans.
 

DzynKingRTR

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I realize how things went down the last time with the Big 12 and Texas. They were for sure going to the Pac 10 and then they weren't.

Something feels different about this. There have been zero denials. The responses from the players who are getting the shaft here, Oklahoma State/Texas A&M, have been like they've resolved themselves to the inevitability of it all. It feels like all of this has already been ironed out behind the scenes, much like the 12 team playoff was.

We've known for years now that the Big 12 media rights were scheduled for renewal in 2025. I would bet this has been being negotiated for several years now. Rewind back a couple years when the Big 12 went on this nationwide expedition to expand. You had all of these teams applying. Houston. UCF. BYU. Memphis literally offered to pay them off in order to join. Yet in the end, nothing happened. In reality, they tested the market and found that zero power 5 teams wanted to join them. They were never interested in group of 5 additions. That was all a smoke screen.

So fast forward to today. Knowing they were never going to get anyone to join them, Texas/OU has accepted the reality that the only way forward in the changing world of collegiate athletics is to join one of the powers, which are really the SEC and the Big Ten.

Yesterday I thought this was all absurd. Today, not so much.
Yeah, I always thought that their exploration into expansion was asking Arkansas and maybe another power 5 team to come join. When these teams got through laughing, they said no.
 

TideEngineer08

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This is not about winning football games either, by the way. It is about money. And while it is true that we already have the Texas "market", adding the University of Texas brings in more eyeballs nationally. It will trigger a renegotiation of the contract with the tv providers. So would adding Oklahoma, even with the small state population.

This is like adding Notre Dame at any point during their downtime. Indiana isn't a huge state. It's decent, but not huge. Yet Notre Dame has national pull. Of the realistic expansion targets, which IMO is the Big 12, Independents, and then the group of 5, the can't miss targets would be Notre Dame, Texas, and Oklahoma.

I understand all the negatives laid out here. They are real. But IMO, this would be the thought process of the Greg Sankey's of the world. Right or wrong.

And for the Texas/OU side of things, they've maxed out what they are going to make with the Big 12 and that is going to fall farther and farther behind the SEC and Big Ten as time goes on.
 

Redwood Forrest

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I still think this is a smoke screen. Texas is trying to create desperation in the PAC or the other eight members of the Big12. If Texas and Oklahoma are taken off the expansion table then what big name would be left for the PAC? Would not those eight teams left in the Big12 agree to expansion to 12 or 14 or 16 just to keep Texas and Oklahoma?
 

BamaMoon

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I'll say it again (but in a different way): the grass is greener in the SEC: money, prestige, NC opportunities, eyeballs on TVs.

And, IF Texas can accept they're just one of the boys, and not "the man" they'll do it. The SEC way is one team doesn't control the conference (despite what all the other teams think about Bama).

I know a lot on this board don't want Texas, but if there's an opportunity to join, they'd be crazy not to do it. They should accept they can be stronger in the SEC than they can ever be standing alone (or in their current conference).
 

81usaf92

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I still think this is a smoke screen. Texas is trying to create desperation in the PAC or the other eight members of the Big12. If Texas and Oklahoma are taken off the expansion table then what big name would be left for the PAC? Would not those eight teams left in the Big12 agree to expansion to 12 or 14 or 16 just to keep Texas and Oklahoma?
The PAC 12 doesn’t want either.

This is one of two things. 1) Real 2) trying to get something passed in relation to the Big XII tv rights
 

BamaMoon

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The PAC 12 doesn’t want either.

This is one of two things. 1) Real 2) trying to get something passed in relation to the Big XII tv rights
This is what I think but if I were picking an order, I would flip 1 & 2
The problem is how intriguing is Texas vs. Kansas or OU vs. Texas Tech?

Those games matter regionally, but not nationally. TV wants games that have more national appeal.

Bama vs. Texas or OU vs. Georgia in a regular-season game is pure gold for viewing eyes.
 

BamaFossil

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I don't trust Texas.

My scenario... Texas gets the SEC to go along with their bringing one or two Texas playmates with them to the SEC. SEC's relationship with aTm is poisoned. Texas enjoys the SEC cash and games for a few years, then waves bye-bye and bolts for the Big 10. Texas gives a big "Thank you!" to the SEC for taking the kids off their hands and facilitating their move out of the Big 12 without much litigation. SEC is stuck with the kids.

Did I mention that I don't trust Texas??

I'm hoping this entire exercise is TX & OK trying to extract financial concessions from the Big 12 to keep them there. But I fear it's more than that...
 

81usaf92

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The problem is how intriguing is Texas vs. Kansas or OU vs. Texas Tech?

Those games matter regionally, but not nationally. TV wants games that have more national appeal.

Bama vs. Texas or OU vs. Georgia in a regular-season game is pure gold for viewing eyes.
In football yes, but the other sports no. I think that is what people continuously Miss while discussing this. Kansas is way more important to the Big XII than what most think.
 
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KrAzY3

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In football yes, but the other sports no. I think that is what people contentiously Miss while discussing this. Kansas is way more important to the Big XII than what most think.
I'd think Kansas might be as high as third in conference when it comes to rights, their basketball program is pretty big. I get the small state thing but it's the same problem as Oklahoma and people don't seem to have trouble understanding they have some value.

Another thing about this is it won't just be the Big 12, Oklahoma St., Texas Tech, Texas A&M and Missouri trying to block this. Fox as I understand it has tier 1 rights for Texas and Oklahoma through 2025. They're in a position to threaten to take them to court or alternatively write them a bigger check. This won't be a smooth transition.

Also, if we're watching college football burn anyway, there is a way for ACC teams to get out of the rights deals (if it works as I understand it). If they disband the conference that would dissolve those deals so then it becomes a matter of what the threshold is. In theory the Big 10 and SEC could pick up enough teams to facilitate that, or in the very least to have a vote that basically frees the members leaving from their current obligation.

Edit: I had to remind myself that ESPN and Fox share the same parent company. Wonder how one stealing from the other goes down.
 
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81usaf92

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I'd think Kansas might be as high as third in conference when it comes to rights, their basketball program is pretty big. I get the small state thing but it's the same problem as Oklahoma and people don't seem to have trouble understanding they have some value.

Another thing about this is it won't just be the Big 12, Oklahoma St., Texas Tech, Texas A&M and Missouri trying to block this. Fox as I understand it has tier 1 rights for Texas and Oklahoma through 2025. They're in a position to threaten to take them to court or alternatively write them a bigger check. This won't be a smooth transition.

Also, if we're watching college football burn anyway, there is a way for ACC teams to get out of the rights deals (if it works as I understand it). If they disband the conference that would dissolve those deals so then it becomes a matter of what the threshold is. In theory the Big 10 and SEC could pick up enough teams to facilitate that, or in the very least to have a vote that basically frees the members leaving from their current obligation.
The more stuff that is coming out today I don’t think Missouri is going to get in the way with this.

But I think 2025 is the earliest that they would join at any rate.

Order of importance

1) Oklahoma
2) Texas
3) Kansas
4) Texas Tech
5) Iowa St
6-10 who cares

When the Big 12 had Missouri, Nebraska, and Colorado they could have rivaled the SEC in viewership but Texas was too greedy to let that happen.
 

Padreruf

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I mentioned politics and in some ways selma is alluding to this as well. The idea that money might be changing hands behind the scenes, people might be striking deals with their buddies and so on could be what's moving this and that's disconcerting because you don't generally have to bribe people into doing the right thing. I don't like the idea that drinking or golf buddies could be what's driving this. That aside, I just have to look at this like things are going to play out like they should.

Personally, I think a Big 12 breakup means the core of what's left goes to the AAC to try to build a pretend Power 5 conference. A lot of those guys just aren't very attractive to a major conference, the ones that were already got sniped (Nebraska, Missouri, Texas A&M and Colorado). What's left is what people didn't want, with the exception of Texas and Oklahoma of course.

Of those teams though, I'd honestly prefer Cincinnati (we both know they're not in the Big 12 but they are one of the most attractive up for grab programs) and Kansas. If I'm dreaming up an addition I might say a longshot like Illinois and Notre Dame, or a more realistic but still far off North Carolina and Virginia. However, if it's a position where the SEC has to make a move I think Kansas and Cincinnati does more long-term for the conference than doubling down in the same state and on football powers.

Kansas and Cincy are both contiguous with other states, so no real geographical issues. This move looks a lot more like the Maryland+Rutgers move that the Big 10 made, and I always considered that a cynical move. It actually seemed to work better for the Big 10 than the Nebraska move, so there is a lesson to be learned there. In this case the SEC is not just adding a decent chunk of population, they're adding a great basketball brand to, so I'd argue it could be a better move.

I don't like the idea of the SEC making the first move here, unless it's a true kill shot. Adding the state of Oklahoma isn't a kill shot... it's adding a state with a population of less than 4 million. It would be no more a kill shot than when the Big 10 added Nebraska. If the SEC really wants to dream big, they might as well try to figure out how to land Notre Dame, or Southern Cal, not try to further merge with the Big 12. They don't need to double down on football powers where they already have a strong footprint.
UK would veto UC in a heart beat...too close geographically and historically inferior athletically.
 
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Al A Bama

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Well, I take some solace in the fact that the Pac-16 move seemed like a done deal until it wasn't.

It would be pretty ironic for the era in civility in terms of SEC voting (usually unanimous) could end before Texas even joined (Missouri and Texas A&M are a hard no, they know what dealing with those two is like).

If the SEC does this, they are overplaying their hand. Florida and Texas are big states, but the west coast has a lot of media power and the northeast is obviously very influential. It's not like the committee is just going to bow down to the SEC and let Oklahoma, Texas, Alabama, LSU and Georgia into the playoffs every year or something.
Well, Texas destroyed the Southwest Conference and now the Big 12-2. Will the SEC be the NEXT conference that they DESTROY? Just asking for a Texas friend.
 

81usaf92

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I was stunned to read this and Googled to check -- of course you are correct. I wonder when or if Disney will combine ESPN and Fox Sports? Why compete against yourself?
It was more of a gentleman’s agreement to avoid getting Florida St, Miami, Clemson, and Louisville. But it has always been 75%

I think the difference now is that most members have seen how much money adding Missouri and aTm that they would overlook another member’s gripes about an addition.
 
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