Division 1 College Conference Realignment

[dfwabel]

Both Texas and A&M should share the blame for potentially ruining college football.

I assume you're being hyperbolic, but how would the collapse of the Big 12 ruin college football? Perhaps I'm not seeing something obvious, but I see the college football landscape essentially the same after this potential massive realignment.

This doesn't just affect the Big 12. Texas A&M is just firing the first salvo in the new chaos of super conferences. If they leave, it looks like it's only a matter of time before Oklahoma and Texas go to the PAC. Then, look for every other major conference to start trying to steal from each other. Of course, prominent mid-majors get left out in the cold just as they start finally getting acceptance as good football schools. We'll be left with a shell of college football's former self, with no parity whatsoever and a :censored:ty postseason to boot.

Actually, Nebraska did last year, They were fed up of the four Texas schools coming in, moving the conference HQ from KC to Irving, TX and also interchanging the location of both the football title game from St. Louis/KC to Texas, as well as taking away the Big 12 hoops tournament away from Kemper Arena to the AAC a decade ago and then switching it out every year. Dr. Tom Osbourne was fed up with Deloss Doss and asked the chancellor to make the appropriate move when the time was right for it.

Also add Larry Scott, who had no previous academic experience, but knows sports marketing better than any major commissioner before and did not believe in "sacred cows".

You could make a case that the Big 10 is the best academic conference, since all 12 members are AAU schools or whatever.

But they're not. Nebraska withdrew from the AAU.

11 of 12 still are, and another long time possibility Syracuse voluntarily left the AAU at the same time. Both they and the Ivy League have all but one member in the AAU (Dartmouth).

Reportedly, Michigan and Wisconsin were the two B1G schools who did not vote to keep Nebraska in and the biggest reason why was that the University of Nebraska's medical school is not in Lincoln, rather in Omaha. Therefore they UNL gets lower federal research dollars. There are other criteria, but it takes away from the conversation even more.

Since the AAU is a "secret society" in reality, one could look at the Carnegie Classifications or The Center for Measuring University Performance to measure research dollars and "academic tiers".

[Chicageaux]

Both Texas and A&M should share the blame for potentially ruining college football.

I disagree with this.

Like dfwabel said, the ball got rolling when Nebraska left last year. If it wasn't for last ditch efforts before the clock struck 12, Texas A&M would have jumped to the SEC last summer and the Big 12 would have been pretty much over. Texas used whatever power it had to make a "contract" to try and please the Aggies and the rest of the contract. Obviously after a year of some last ditch effort, A&M wasn't happy and they decided to bolt. Can anyone blame them for that? And no, Baylor doesn't count. As someone above mentioned, Baylor's just upset because when this is all said and done, they go back to being a mid-major.

Up to about this time last week, everyone in the Big 12 was saying, "Oh, we're not worried if Texas A&M leaves, we'll be fine." So what the heck changed? I've heard every rumor the last few weeks talking about the Big 12 bringing in 3 other Texas schools to the Big East taking the scraps of whats left of the Big 12 to now Oklahoma, OK State, and Texas jumping ship to the Pac 12. But I thought no one wants Texas because of their Longhorn Network?

The truth is no one knows and it's all speculation. Every conference will be fine, except the Big 12, until Texas starts splitting profits and sharing like a good big brother should. If they don't and they add three more teams, then I can bet next year you'll have another team leaving the Big 12 and this whole talk gets started again.

Texas is the problem.

[pcgd]

Considering both the longhorn network and the PAC-12 network are run/owned by espn, is it really an issue?

[dfwabel]

Considering both the longhorn network and the PAC-12 network are run/owned by espn, is it really an issue?

Not true. Cox, Time Warner, Comcast, and other have agreed to adding Pac-12 regional channels while LHN was set forth before Pac-12 was announced.

The Pac-12 system of cable networks are wholly owned by the conference and they have made agreements with the major cable system carriers.

[Geoff]

I think it will still be run by ESPN people and use ESPN graphics, etc. The fact that they have deals to distribute it has nothing to do with who actually runs the production aspect.

[Chicageaux]

But all along the general assumption was the Pac 12 wouldn't let the Longhorns join with the network. Now we're assuming it's okay because ESPN owns both networks? If Texas joins the Pac 12, there seems no point to me for there to be a Pac 12 Network and a Texas Longhorns Network to coexist. I can't see a scenario where the Pac 12 says, "Oh it's okay Texas, you keep your network, keep your profits, and join our conference." Or where Texas says, "Okay Pac 12, let's merge our networks and we'll take less money than we'd make otherwise." Give me a break. If that were the case, the Big 12 wouldn't be on the verge of nonexistence.

[dfwabel]

I think it will still be run by ESPN people and use ESPN graphics, etc. The fact that they have deals to distribute it has nothing to do with who actually runs the production aspect.

Pac-12 has already hired a chief of "Enterprises" which included new media and the new network system. His name is Gary Stevenson, and remember that the Pac-12 HQ is actually outside SF in Walnut Creek, CA. Larry Scott is ready to move on regardless of teams and will give input towards the chancellors and presidents.

[rams80]

The bigger issue here is that Texas never would have even gotten the startup money and support from ESPN if not for ESPN's desire to unleash Texas high school football to the masses of creepy shotacons throughout the country fans who are interested in the performance of the college stars of the future.

Unfortunately for ESPN, the NCAA saw the litany of problems with this and actually grew a backbone, leaving the Longhorn Network as both an albatross and a white elephant.

[Geoff]

But all along the general assumption was the Pac 12 wouldn't let the Longhorns join with the network. Now we're assuming it's okay because ESPN owns both networks? If Texas joins the Pac 12, there seems no point to me for there to be a Pac 12 Network and a Texas Longhorns Network to coexist. I can't see a scenario where the Pac 12 says, "Oh it's okay Texas, you keep your network, keep your profits, and join our conference." Or where Texas says, "Okay Pac 12, let's merge our networks and we'll take less money than we'd make otherwise." Give me a break. If that were the case, the Big 12 wouldn't be on the verge of nonexistence.

It's not going to be the PAC-12/16 Networks and Longhorn Network. The talk is to convince Texas to take a little less money and just shift the Longhorn Network into the PAC-16's Texas network that covers both Texas Tech and Texas.

[bosrs1]

But all along the general assumption was the Pac 12 wouldn't let the Longhorns join with the network. Now we're assuming it's okay because ESPN owns both networks? If Texas joins the Pac 12, there seems no point to me for there to be a Pac 12 Network and a Texas Longhorns Network to coexist. I can't see a scenario where the Pac 12 says, "Oh it's okay Texas, you keep your network, keep your profits, and join our conference." Or where Texas says, "Okay Pac 12, let's merge our networks and we'll take less money than we'd make otherwise." Give me a break. If that were the case, the Big 12 wouldn't be on the verge of nonexistence.

It's not going to be the PAC-12/16 Networks and Longhorn Network. The talk is to convince Texas to take a little less money and just shift the Longhorn Network into the PAC-16's Texas network that covers both Texas Tech and Texas.

And give up control. Which is why Texas won't bite. They want control. Their recent moves have all been about being the top dog in control of the Big 12, and it's now backfired right in their face.

[Geoff]

I honestly don't see how they didn't see this coming. Baylor and Iowa State may have been content to be quiet and take their money but Nebraska, A&M, and others wouldn't be silent and subservient forever. Hell even Stoops doesn't see the need to continue the Red River Rivalry if OU and UT end up in different conferences.

[Chicageaux]

The current report is that 8 of 9 Big XII schools are blocking A&M's move, the only one that's not is Oklahoma. The SEC has asked Texas to step down their block and they complied, but the rest still have it up and the only way they'll let up is if Oklahoma stays in the Big XII. I'll try to find the article online, but I read it off my phone from ESPN.

I guess I'm a little confused here. Has this become a hostage situation? If Oklahoma decides they're leaving, does that mean they're free to leave and A&M has to stay? I really don't understand the logic here.

[Geoff]

This looks bad on the Big XII schools, IMO. The league and all it's members were fine with A&M going to the SEC and gave the league their blessing. Ish actually gets real and Baylor says, "We lied, we're gonna sue." Then everyone else in the league except Oklahoma says "YEAH! Me too!"

If they really cared this much they wouldn't have taken the "ok, whatever" mentality when A&M said they were leaving and they would have worked with them to keep them in the league. Instead they made no response the A&M's letter and just sat back and watched.

[thespleenenator]

This looks bad on the Big XII schools, IMO. The league and all it's members were fine with A&M going to the SEC and gave the league their blessing. Ish actually gets real and Baylor says, "We lied, we're gonna sue." Then everyone else in the league except Oklahoma says "YEAH! Me too!"

Because all the other schools know, other than Oklahoma (and now texas) know that if A&M leaves, they have a very uncertain future ahead of them, especially Baylor.

[Chicageaux]

Here's the thing, once Oklahoma announces they leave, it doesn't matter if A&M is still in the Big XII or not. The conference then loses it's number two team. If Oklahoma goes, then Oklahoma State isn't going to sit around and wait for midnight with the rest of the teams, they're going where Oklahoma goes. I guess they just want to fight the inevitable.

[Waffles]

If you're worried about Baylor engaging in protracted, pointless, expensive and vindictive legal battles, rest assured that their president is none other than Ken Starr.

[Geoff]

Here's the thing, once Oklahoma announces they leave, it doesn't matter if A&M is still in the Big XII or not. The conference then loses it's number two team. If Oklahoma goes, then Oklahoma State isn't going to sit around and wait for midnight with the rest of the teams, they're going where Oklahoma goes. I guess they just want to fight the inevitable.

Ok-State isn't going to wait until midnight because OU and OSU are a package deal.

[Chicageaux]

Per a Yahoo! Sports Article.

Scott Against Expanding Pac-10

?Our hope is that there is no expansions and all conferences that are at 12 stay at 12. That would be our vote,? he said. ?We?re very happy where we?re at and we?ve got a lot to do over the next year.?

Not sure if this means they're not going to pursue more teams until another conference adds more teams and they have to do it or what.

[ESTONES6]

Per a Yahoo! Sports Article.

Scott Against Expanding Pac-10

?Our hope is that there is no expansions and all conferences that are at 12 stay at 12. That would be our vote,? he said. ?We?re very happy where we?re at and we?ve got a lot to do over the next year.?

Not sure if this means they're not going to pursue more teams until another conference adds more teams and they have to do it or what.

Unless Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Boise State ask to join... then we'll cream in our pants.

[crashcarson15]

Per a Yahoo! Sports Article.

Scott Against Expanding Pac-10

?Our hope is that there is no expansions and all conferences that are at 12 stay at 12. That would be our vote,? he said. ?We?re very happy where we?re at and we?ve got a lot to do over the next year.?

Not sure if this means they're not going to pursue more teams until another conference adds more teams and they have to do it or what.

Unless Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Boise State ask to join... then we'll cream in our pants.

lol, what?

Boise State wouldn't make sense at all for the PAC. Texas's TV network really keeps them for being in. Maybe the PAC would go after the Oklahoma schools, but I'd rather them not, and I don't think they will right now to be honest.