http://www.cbssports.com/college-fo...-at-oklahoma-over-potential-big-12-expansion/ <spoiler> </spoiler> What have I been saying? Boren is a mouth and he's been embarrassed by his bosses in a public statement. OU regent is mirroring what a few of us have been saying about expansion. It doesn't make sense in terms of value and the idea that you just need to expand to make a secure conference is exactly what the Big East did years ago. As for Texas, I don't see the point in leaving 1 conference and going to another if they had to lose the Longhorn Network. It still makes the most sense for them to seek media independence and some kind of conference scheduling affiliation if possible. It would be nice if they could still schedule non-conference game with the other Texas Big 12 schools. If the big 12 collapses without Texas (or OU) then that should tell you something about the value of the league and the teams left in it. However, I think whomever is leftover could join the AAC to make a mega conference that has a solid argument to receive a better championship bowl.
Good grief are they STILL talking about this? The epitome of **** or get off the pot. They act like their decision is some monumental thing when all they are doing is drumming up publicity for a dying league, the Sec and Pac 12 laugh at them.
Well..it actually is a pretty big deal because of the money and how much of an effect it could have over several universities. I agree they need to decide something but I hope they just let the damn thing die and TX, OU, OKst (only cause they wouldnt let OU go alone) and maybe Tech or TCU all move on to another conference.
The Big 12 is toast. UH needs to keep up the good work and schools like Rice, Texas State, UTSA, SMU, etc need to make that next step. Then wait for the Big 12 to implode and bring back the old Lonestar Conference. UH North Texas Rice SMU TCU Texas State Texas Tech UTEP UTSA Baylor, UT, and A&M will eventually want to come home and make the conference complete. And yes, I know that this is nonsensical foolishness.
While it would never happen, it would be pretty cool. I could see Baylor taking part in that and eventually adding a Sam Houston and maybe a UT Arlington to the mix to go 12.
Unless something drastic changes, doesn't this pretty much kill any chance for expansion? Boren has been leading the charge but looks like he never even had the backing to make anything happen. Torn on this really. If Texas explores all of their options and a conference presents a better t.v. deal among other things, then I say go for it. Otherwise they'd really be doubling down on the LHN which outside of the guaranteed money to UT, has been a pretty big failure. But with LHN, I wonder if UT can only shop their 1st and 2nd tier rights with ESPN.
So Texas is supposed to give up what could potentially (once they are good again) be the most useful legal recruiting tool in the history of college sports to stop the whining of 9 other school who hate Texas with a passion? Seriously, other than appeasing the "it's not fair" attitude of 8 third-tier college athletic programs and OU, what reason should UT do this? Stability in a conference full of schools who want Texas to lose more than anything? Make potentially less money just so schools that nobody cares about can make a little more money? This is like asking your buddy to break up with his girlfriend because the hot chicks at the bar have stopped talking to your group of friends since he went off the market. I'm sorry your school's football program is irrelevant on a national scale 95% of the time, but this whole "UT is a bad guy" narrative is tired. They are looking out for their best interests. Every other school demanding that UT gives up the LHN is doing the exact same thing. And thinking that the Big 12 could survive on any sort of meaningful level without Texas is one of the more laughable points I've ever seen on this website. There's a reason that no one will give the [Big 12 - Texas] a TV deal.
From everything I've read, any new deal would include making UT "whole" and receiving the full guaranteed amount under LHN so don't think they'd make less money. Actually, I would think they'd have to sweeten the pot quite to make it worthwhile. But ya you'd lose the potential of LHN, which after 5 years, is still just that.
8 out of the 10 schools need to approve expansion and the rumors are that TCU, Texas Tech and UT are against. Of course, UT is being accused of pressuring TCU and Tech but whatever. Maybe OU could flip one of those schools if they get on the same page but it doesn't seem likely the regents are going to change their mind so if OU is against it then forget it. I'm glad. It's not worth losing the round robin so we can play Cincinnati every 2 years. Most of those schools have tiny stadiums as well. Half of the big 12 has 60,000+ seat stadiums. We don't need to bring that percentage down. South Florida and BYU are the only ones that are being thrown around that have decent stadiums. http://www.collegegridirons.com/comparisons.htm ESPN has the ability to match any offer UT gets from another network for their 1st and 2nd tier games. UT would sort of be a restricted free agent but they would be free to negotiate with Fox, CBS or whomever else and those networks would have to hope ESPN doesn't match any offer that they extend to UT. UT got 10 million a year with a %3 increase every year. That's a good chunk of change. Also, would a big 12 network be as successful as the Big 10 network or as disappointing as the pac 12 network?
ESPN probably could but the question is whether they would. The LHN has been a huge loss one-quarter of the way in and they have been hemorrhaging cash on top of that. They'd pretty much be doubling down on the LHN which I don't see how anyone would think that is a good idea. With that said, don't think UT would do ESPN like that though. Think it would definitely be closer to the latter. Just not enough star power and intrigue IMO.
Documents show Big 12 flirting with Houston, Memphis, others This is all stuff that happened over half a year ago, so clearly the discussion may have evolved, but it does at least illustrate that, at one point, Houston was in the discussion. FedEx appears ready to basically buy Memphis' way into the Big 12, heh.
I think it's awesome that FedEx is gonna buy Memphis into the Big 12, where you at Houston companies?
Shut down expansion. It's not happening unless someone wants to try to break out from the "iron clad" media rights agreements that are keeping the conferences in place and make a run at Florida St and Clemson with a plan for a conference network. The big 12 network is not going to be as successful as the Big 10 and SEC with the current teams. They need more star power in more parts of the country for a conference network to be successful. I wouldn't give up the longhorn network unless it was for a product that I knew would do really well and I don't see that with the national appeal of most of the big 12 schools. I'm truthfully trying to be as objective as I can. I do not believe that a big 12 network without A&M and Nebraska can be successful nationally. Just ask yourself, would you watch it? The only appeal I see is in Texas because high schoolers in texas can see their friends and alums across 4 different schools. However, the other states that house big 12 teams are all in the bottom half of US populations so you aren't going to gain a ton out of that type of appeal. Cincinnati doesn't help you with that because all of the good players in Ohio go to Ohio St, Michigan or other big 10 schools. I'm guessing they have a higher proportion of players that went to high school in Cincinnati anyway but I'm not sure about that. Same thing with South/Central florida. Lastly, it's only been two years in the playoff format. The big 12 easily got in last year and was left out the previous year. Let's see how it works in year 3. The 1st year snub could have been for a few different reasons. Hard to know what was the biggest issue. 1) The conference didn't have the balls to name a single champion even though Baylor beat TCU. 2) Very public statements from committee against Baylor's non conference schedule (hence the new Baylor Rule) 3) Maybe the fact they didn't play a "conference championship" but the round robin ensures that every team plays every other team. Ohio St beat Wisconsin in their final game but they hadn't played them in the regular season. Could be rectified in a top 2 conference championship with the round robin but that still seems excessive. At the end of the day, their efforts might be better spent pushing the other conferences into supporting expanding the playoffs to 8 teams.
McNair should push NRG to get involved and offer up big money plus the use of NRG Stadium to host a BIG XII title game. Do Houston a solid here Bob!
I think the reason the expansion train is rolling is for a few factors. 1) There is a legitimate disadvantage to a 10 team conference in terms of gaining CFP access (this was supported by the data the research firm the B12 hired to evaluate expansion). 2) A lot of programs outside of the state of Texas lost something significant to them in 2011 and they're looking for some kind of restitution. Colorado, Nebraska, and Mizzou were deeply entrenched former Big 8 programs... their departures meant a lot to some. 3) The divide between the lords and serfs of the Big 12 has grown even deeper as time has gone on. A conference network and/or more equitable revenue sharing model would go a long way toward calming everyone down and making nice with the neighbors. For UT, it seems they will have to decide which they prefer more: Being king of a conference or having the Longhorn Network. (i.e. power vs. $$$) I'm not sure what life for UT would be like beyond the Big 12. Would they thrive as an independent? Would any conference existing conference allow them affiliation in the status quo? I think at the end of the day it would be more enjoyable to be the benevolent dictator than the filthy rich misanthrope.
who gives a **** about big12!!! texas facks everything up, it is not a consistent powerhouse conference, and no men's soccer!!! join the acc!!! there is no Texas, the football is on par, basketball is way better, and they have men's soccer programs!!! it's so embarrassing and shameful that so much texas highschool talent doesn't have D1 options in their own home cities and states!!! In fact the NCAA D1 soccer championships are being held at BBVA Compass stadium this year and UT, A&M, UofH, etc... none of them even have a team. Really sucks for the talented kids in our area!!!
!!!!sorry but it's so frustrating to have so much good young talent, students, and men who have less D1 options than other parts of the country!!!! seriously if UofH started a men's soccer program they would be instant contenders. that's how much soccer talent there is in the area. such a shame these boys to have options for good athletics and good education.
