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.
Originally Posted by Stewie:
If you listen to Neinas it will be much harder to leave the Big XII and it's not just about football. The SEC's penalties have loopholes if they want to leave. Who's to say five years from now that LSU and Arkansas don't get a better offer from another conference?
The Big 12 is dead. It's just a matter of time. Missouri would be smart to get out now while they have the offer they want rather than wait until the conference collapses.
I wish KU had a decent offer from another BCS conference or had something to offer another BCS conference....because when the conference collapses, KU is screwed. [Reply]
Though I have been to both campuses for both football and basketball games.
And I'll stand by what I said. Regardless of distance (which is the crux of Neinas' comment) I'm betting more Mizzou fans would rather travel to Oxford, Tuscaloosa or Knoxville to see the Tigers play football than Lawrence, Manhattan or Ames.
Just like Mizzou basketball fans would rather road trip to Lawrence than Oxford, Tuscaloosa or Knoxville.
From my POV, Mizzou loses one thing in terms of tradition, history, rivalry, gameday experience, etc if they leave the B12:
Basketball games at Allen Fieldhouse.
And it could be argued that they'll just replace that experience with Kentucky - while gaining a metric ****ton in destination football with the likes of Ole Miss, Bama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Auburn, etc.
Pretty much this.
Not to mention the significant increase in revenue and stability SEC membership provides.
I can't f'n wait to go see Mizzou play at Rocky Top, The Swamp, Bryant-Denny, Between the Hedges, The Grove, etc. It is the best athletic conference in the country so of course it will be difficult as hell, but it will be an enjoyable ride. I hope we make the right decision. [Reply]
Not to mention the significant increase in revenue and stability SEC membership provides.
I can't f'n wait to go see Mizzou play at Rocky Top, The Swamp, Bryant-Denny, Between the Hedges, The Grove, etc. It is the best athletic conference in the country so of course it will be difficult as hell, but it will be an enjoyable ride. I hope we make the right decision.
Remember MU going to the Big 10? This is Part II. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DeezNutz:
Please, please, please... /KU fan
I only know what the Commissioner of the Big XII says. The MU contingent in meetings last week were very positive about the Big XII. These were face to face meetings and were very positive. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DeezNutz:
When the SEC reworks its television contracts, what do you think that money is going to look like?
There is no "better" conference for the likes of LSU to go to.
It will add bucks, for sure. Not like the Big XII when the conference comes up for renewal in a couple of years. Hell, the networks drool over Texas and OU by themselves and that money will be split among all schools as of today. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Stewie:
It will add bucks, for sure. Not like the Big XII when the conference comes up for renewal in a couple of years. Hell, the networks drool over Texas and OU by themselves and that money will be split among all schools as of today.
Not to mention the significant increase in revenue and stability SEC membership provides.
I can't f'n wait to go see Mizzou play at Rocky Top, The Swamp, Bryant-Denny, Between the Hedges, The Grove, etc. It is the best athletic conference in the country so of course it will be difficult as hell, but it will be an enjoyable ride. I hope we make the right decision.
A friend of mine graduated from Ole Miss, and was down there last weekend for the Georgia game. She was nice enough to share some pics from The Grove.
First time Mizzou plays down there, I'm going. I'm not a huge CFB fan, but the majority of the games I watch are SEC games. Would love to see games in those stadiums. [Reply]
Comparing conference TV deals is tough. The Big 12 and 10 will dwarf the SEC and beat the PAC's contract in 5 years. The SEC is still like 12 years away from being able to get a new deal at which time it will dwarf the other twos. [Reply]