Yup all of their anger is at Tech right now. But what are the chances of all 15 schools agreeing not to impose any punishment or some slap on the wrist?
I don't think this is the case. No one better wants the B12 schools so there's nowhere to go. But beyond that, B12 schools want something to be done. But they also don't want to be ok the hook if the state/Tech sue for hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. At the end of the day, in an ideal world, B12 schools would love to make an anti-gambling statement. But they likely just quietly back off it if it risks tens of millions of dollars of their own money - it's easy to stand up for the right thing when there's no risk. Different story when facing a lawsuit.
I might be in the minority but I don't think the threat of facing a lawsuit is that big of a deal in this day and age of collegiate sports. Yes I'm sure they would rather avoid it but they would essentially be throwing the conference's bylaws in the garbage and the B12 would be going the same way as the NCAA. All it would take is a rumor of realignment and I think schools would be looking to jump ship and save themselves even if at a cost.
Well that escalated quickly. Big 12 filed its lawsuit, and Sorsby immediately skeedaddled to the NFL. Tech is just gonna have to eat the NIL money and all that reputational damage with nothing to show for it. The idea that the Big 12 was just going to roll over and not govern itself did seem... off. If 15 of 16 members want something and the conference doesn't oblige, what the hell good is a conference anyway? Edit: apparently Paxton's bullshit is what triggered this lmao https://sports.yahoo.com/college-fo...ddle-of-the-night-042618638.html?guccounter=1
This is the best outcome. I do hope the B12 (and/or NCAA) can somehow go through with its lawsuit and give conferences some legal standing to enforce their rules in the future. Don't know if that's an option though.
Everything is lawyerball but I stand by the idea that if a conference can't carry out the wishes of a supermajority of its membership, then what the hell good is it? Get better lawyers. Write better contract copy. Self determination is not optional here.
There's always the threat of using lawfare to slow things down or eat up resources, but at the end of the day, either the compact says the conference can do X or it can't. The member institutions have voluntary association here. They walked into these deals eyes wide open.
It will be interesting to see how long the stink lasts for. Tech needs a 3rd out of conference game starting next season and doubt the series with the blue blood that Joey announced a few weeks ago got finalized.
McGuire announced that they were finalizing a home and home series with a “major blue blood.” Speculation was USC or Notre Dame but doubt that, or anything else, gets done anytime soon.
