Sporting News: OU and A&M may look at SEC

[CarrollCyclone]

Listening to a radio show that is interviewing A&M's Scout.com beat writer. He says the SEC is still very, very interested in A&M and the two have stayed in constant contact over the past year. He claims that A&M is in contact with folks at the SEC almost once a week.

Says there has been a big momentum change in the Aggie athletic dept. over the past two weeks. He knows the SEC would be a tougher league, but thinks that A&M would rather deal with those problems than deal with LHN. A&M is still very coveted by the SEC because it opens up Texas recruiting and TV markets but doesn't bring the baggage that UT-Austin does.

***Edit***

Also, says that A&M's beef isn't so much with Texas but with ESPN who is calling all the shots on the LHN, starting with the buying of the conference game. Aggie folks feel that ESPN may view LHN as too big to fail because of the $300 million investment and ESPN will do everything they can to make that venture successful.

A&M officials (according to this guy's speculation) really feels that the Big 12-2 is just an intermediary step towards UT-Austin's independence once LHN gets off the ground. They feel that with the direction of the network is going and the way they are setting up future football schedules, Austin has every intent to go independent.

 

[everyyard]

If all the good teams are in one conference they can't all be good. I say blow it up if it is gonna blow but for God sakes get it over with already. What a bunch of Nancies. In or OUT, we'll deal with the fallout but this state of instability is ridiculous.

 

[CarrollCyclone]

Initially I don't think Texas had intentions of going independent, but if A&M and OU follow through on this..........UT might have no choice but to go indy.

 

[CyCrazy]

Listening to a radio show that is interviewing A&M's Scout.com beat writer. He says the SEC is still very, very interested in A&M and the two have stayed in constant contact over the past year. He claims that A&M is in contact with folks at the SEC almost once a week.

Says there has been a big momentum change in the Aggie athletic dept. over the past two weeks. He knows the SEC would be a tougher league, but thinks that A&M would rather deal with those problems than deal with LHN. A&M is still very coveted by the SEC because it opens up Texas recruiting and TV markets but doesn't bring the baggage that UT-Austin does.

***Edit***

Also, says that A&M's beef isn't so much with Texas but with ESPN who is calling all the shots on the LHN, starting with the buying of the conference game. Aggie folks feel that ESPN may view LHN as too big to fail because of the $300 million investment and ESPN will do everything they can to make that venture successful.

A&M officials (according to this guy's speculation) really feels that the Big 12-2 is just an intermediary step towards UT-Austin's independence once LHN gets off the ground. They feel that with the direction of the network is going and the way they are setting up future football schedules, Austin has every intent to go independent.

Aggie can suck a fat one. If they have this much little brother butthurt over the LHN let them go and finish right above Kentucky/Vandy in the SEC every year. Those A&M people are dumb.

 

[CycloneErik]

Initially I don't think Texas had intentions of going independent, but if A&M and OU follow through on this..........UT might have no choice but to go indy.

And I still don't think they have those intentions. Hopefully, these two idiots don't ruin something that's set up for a really nice run.

 

[Al_4_State]

Initially I don't think Texas had intentions of going independent, but if A&M and OU follow through on this..........UT might have no choice but to go indy.

Well, UT can do whatever they want. Losing A&M wouldn't be a big deal, OU on the other hand would be.

Most people, even Texas fans don't think they're actually going to go Independent. They're actions recently don't suggest it either.

A&M is mad and raising a stink. They're irrational as hell and mostly jealous. They could do exactly what Texas is doing, but they'd rather ***** and moan and leave in a huff than actually do something about it.

If the Big 12 doesn't blow up, A&M will be at the top of my hatred list. This is their doing, IMO.

 

[RackEm]

Wow, battered woman's syndrome is running rampant here. KU,K-State and Baylor fans all know whats about to go down, and is trying to brace themselves. Here tho...smh....

 

[moforisu]

How does TAM and OU recruite better if they leave the B12 when Texas is still broadcasting HS games? Don't get it?

 

[CycloneErik]

Wow, battered woman's syndrome is running rampant here. KU,K-State and Baylor fans all know whats about to go down, and is trying to brace themselves. Here tho...smh....

Thanks for trolling.

 

[CarrollCyclone]

How does TAM and OU recruite better if they leave the B12 when Texas is still broadcasting HS games? Don't get it?

Don't have to recruit better, they just wouldn't be recruiting/competing directly against Texas anymore.

A follow up to the interview I listened to, the Aggie beat writer said that politics have changed at A&M and the president down there has the sole authority to sign off on any and all moves regarding athletic affiliation.

With that said, I doubt the Texas Legislature lets this go down. It's why those teams didn't go to the Pac-12 last year and why Baylor is in the Big 12 now.

 

[Al_4_State]

Wow, battered woman's syndrome is running rampant here. KU,K-State and Baylor fans all know whats about to go down, and is trying to brace themselves. Here tho...smh....

I just looked at their boards and they seem to think the exact same thing people here do.

Saw this on the KU board, and tend to agree with it. Interesting to see Chip Brown's comments:

Chip Brown was just on 610. He mainly talked about the Bevo Network and the high school games, and he thinks that ESPN would sue if someone tried to stop them from showing the games. Well, nothing is stopping them from showing high school games now. I do think, however, that if they persist in trying to show them under the banner of the Bevo network, then either the other 9 conference schools are going to tell UT that isn't kosher, or maybe even the NCAA will.

On the point of aTm and the conference, he said that last summer, aTm had the votes to go. However, OU wanted to stay with UT. And now, the composition of the aTm regents has changed, and he's not sure they do have the votes. He's also heard nothing that the SEC is actively courting anyone. Also, the money that aTm is going to get from the league now is higher than the money they can get from the SEC, and also the Big 12 will be negotiating Tier 1 rights again before the SEC ever comes up for their go around on this.

As some of us have been trying to point out, there is absolutely no economic or competitive reason for aTm to leave this league, especially for a gauntlet like the SEC. Absolutely none. If they were somehow to do it, it would be the rare instance of someone foregoing what is best for them in every way possible, just to publically demonstrate that they are owned, in every possible way, by UT.

People on this board think we should look at jumping to some other league just to be rid of UT. And we would be. However, then we get worked over by Alabama. Or USC. Or Ohio St. Or Florida St.

There's always a bully in every conference. It's fact. There's no sense in KU looking to go somewhere else where we would not be much more competitive, and for less money. Not only less money, but more expenses because any other league is going to result in increased travel expenditures.

Like Wyatt said to Johnny Ringo, I'm not going to fight you. There's no money in it. In this case, there's no money in it for KU, or any other league school, to flip the bird at UT and try and leave.

 

[CycloneErik]

Hmmm, trust Al's observation or a random troll that signed up yesterday to stir this discussion up? This feels like one of life's tough decisions.

 

[DRCHIRO]

Texas and Oklahoma Legislature will not let this go down.

The Aggie beat writer is as crazy as their entire fan base. He's throwing **** out there and seeing what sticks.

 

[ISUAgronomist]

Don't have to recruit better, they just wouldn't be recruiting/competing directly against Texas anymore.

A follow up to the interview I listened to, the Aggie beat writer said that politics have changed at A&M and the president down there has the sole authority to sign off on any and all moves regarding athletic affiliation.

With that said, I doubt the Texas Legislature lets this go down. It's why those teams didn't go to the Pac-12 last year and why Baylor is in the Big 12 now.

There is no way Brent actually believes that. At A&M EVERYTHING goes through Rick Perry or his cronies first before anyone can make a move.

 

[Boomer]

OU has no legislative ties to OSU. Our Admin did OSU a favor in the Pac16 scenario, Pac wanted Kansas

If things went South, ties could be severed

 

[Al_4_State]

OU has no legislative ties to OSU. Our Admin did OSU a favor in the Pac16 scenario, Pac wanted Kansas

If things went South, ties could be severed

Which makes me think that if someone was looking at a few of the North school, KU, Mizzou, and ISU would be more lucrative than KU, KSU, and Mizzou.

My guess is if this thing actually picks up steam, the Big East waits a second before adding a Villanova, ECU, UCF type school.

I still think the biggest roadblock is the SEC's desire (or lack thereof) to expand.

 

[hawkfan]

If the team gets compensated to be on the LHN, is there a $ problem?

Absolutely there is.

That team that played on the LHN (this is my assumption - correct me if I'm wrong) will likely get 100% of the revenue for that appearance (the 100% that doesn't go to UT). If that is the case, then the other 8 conference members lost out on revenue. How you might ask? TV networks make money by TV ratings, which determine advertising prices.

If the LHN starts to take away 2-3 conference games per year, that is ratings/advertising dollars that go to the LHN (which the remainder of the conference receives 0% of) that should have gone to the tier 1/2 TV provider (100% of which would have been redistributed to the nine other conference members). The 9 members other than Texas ultimately lose money for every conference game that is placed on the LHN.

 

[hawkfan]

I still think the biggest roadblock is the SEC's desire (or lack thereof) to expand.

Do you believe that there will NEVER be a future conference in college football larger than twelve teams?

 

[isuno1fan]

Do you believe that there will NEVER be a future conference in college football larger than twelve teams?

Anything more than 12 is too many. Most sane people believe that. I actually think 12 may be too many because you can't play a true round robin with 12.

 

[Al_4_State]

Do you believe that there will NEVER be a future conference in college football larger than twelve teams?

Not really sure. It's been tried once before, and failed.

What's the point of a 16 team conference? It's pretty much two separate conferences. I don't know if 14 is viable. I don't really think anyone outside Larry Scott and Jim DeLaney want more than 12. A&M just wants to get away from Texas so badly that they don't really care what happens. If the SEC HAS to expand, they will. I don't think they want to at all.

I think at some point they might try it, but I think instability that would result after a couple years would make the Big 12 look harmonious.