Big Ten and other Conference Expansion

[BB73]

Just for the record, from a reliable source, OKlahoma and aTm were offered spots by the SEC. The Sooners prefer to stick with Okie St. in any conference movement.

CBS

Oklahoma president: OU, Texas A&M got invites from SEC

ARDMORE, Okla. -- The president of Oklahoma said Wednesday that his school and Texas A&M both received invitations to join the Southeastern Conference during the last round of conference realignment.

Although Oklahoma ended up remaining in the Big 12, university president David Boren said the Sooners had offers from both the SEC and the Pac-10. Boren spoke with reporters after a regents meeting for almost 40 minutes about the conference realignment process.

"I'll put it this way -- we were well positioned for whatever worked out," Boren said.

SEC spokesman Craig Pinkerton said he was "not in a position to comment" on what Boren said. Boren declined to say who in the SEC issued the invitation, only that that person had the authority to do so.

Boren said the Pac-10 offer was for five Big 12 schools -- Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech -- to join as a group. Pac-10 Commissioner Larry Scott visited the schools earlier this month to extend the invitations.

"The invitation was really to the group," Boren said. "It had to be, because you couldn't have our teams all flying to the Pacific coast every week to play games. There had to be an eastern division of schools."

Boren said the SEC extended offers only to Oklahoma and Texas A&M, both of which opted to stay in a slimmed-down Big 12 after Colorado left for the Pac-10 and Nebraska left for the Big Ten. Because the SEC offer didn't include two of the Sooners' key rivals, Oklahoma State and Texas, Boren said he didn't consider it a good option.

"There was a time when A&M thought they were going to the SEC and they very much wanted us to go with them," Boren said. "Oklahoma, in the whole thing, we were positioned in a way where virtually we could not have lost."

Last Friday, Oklahoma State president Burns Hargis confirmed that his school "never had an offer" from the SEC, "so it was never anything to consider." Both he and Boren expressed a strong interest in sticking together through any future conference realignment.

Cont'd ...

 

[zincfinger]

Just for the record, from a reliable source, OKlahoma and aTm were offered spots by the SEC.

Which probably largely explains why OU and A&M were included on the recipient list for the dowry payment from the BigXII programs that didn't have any independent BCS offers on the table.

 

[Buckeyeskickbuttocks]

"we were positioned in a way where virtually we could not have lost."

Right... so you chose the option that made it look like you were Texas' lap dog. Well done.

 

[BayBuck]

How Chip Brown won Big 12 realignment story; Erin Andrews' payday - Richard Deitsch - SI.com

"Its pretty simple: Chip dominated the story beginning to end,"
​

 

[Jaxbuck]

Delaney has been very clear that the Big Ten wants to move south.

I would tell him the same thing I would tell Abraham Lincoln if I could go back in time;

It's not worth it.

 

[cincibuck]

Ach, I still don't want them.

"Ach, I don't want an entry into the East Coast TV market." Like it or not, this is what you're saying.

 

[jlb1705]

How Chip Brown won Big 12 realignment story; Erin Andrews' payday - Richard Deitsch - SI.com

I read that story too. Chip Brown dominated that story the same way JaMarcus Russell dominated football games.

 

[AthensBuckeye]

If you look at it objectively Texas has a strong case for concessions. The Big Ten has evolved over time and the equal partner thing has come along with it.

Many would argue, however, that the equitable division of revenue adds to the stability of the Big Ten and is one of the many things that would make it attractive to most schools. Texas, however, isn't most schools. They may attempt to milk their "desirability" for as long as it is feasible, however, if the Big 12 does eventually implode, playing too hard of a version of hardball might leave the Big Ten out of question and force them to join a league that may benefit them financially in the short run, but limit them financially in the long run.

 

[JCOSU86]

"Ach, I don't want an entry into the East Coast TV market." Like it or not, this is what you're saying.

Holy shit, people, let's not get hysterical here. Ntre Ame doesn't own the East Coast TV Market. And exactly what else, besides their supercalifragilistic football team do they bring to the Big Ten table? Bottom line that is the question that needs to be answered and the answer needs to be carefully scrutinized.

There is such a thing as integrity. Hopefully that is not for sale.

 

[Oh8ch]

There is such a thing as integrity.

Link?

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

Link?

 

[jwinslow]

Holy shit, people, let's not get hysterical here. Ntre Ame doesn't own the East Coast TV Market.

They bring a significant chunk of it, and paired with Rutgers, it would be very unlikely that the BTN would not be placed on basic cable in the NYC market.

And exactly what else, besides their supercalifragilistic football team do they bring to the Big Ten table? Bottom line that is the question that needs to be answered and the answer needs to be carefully scrutinized.

They are a tremendous athletic school overall and are a strong basketball program as well, bringing more dollars to the BTN for the two major revenue sports.

Their final rankings in the Director's cup:

09 - 17
08 - 21
07 - 21
06 - 16
05 - 06
04 - 16
03 - 19
02 - 13
01 - 13
00 - 11

link

There is such a thing as integrity. Hopefully that is not for sale.

If you hate ND and want to see them wallow in mediocrity, then let's bring them in and whip them ourselves. They've enjoyed elite revenue & prestige for many decades, yet they still got tripped up by Sparty. A division of OSU, PSU, UM, MSU, Purdue would hand out plenty of humble pie.

 

[LordJeffBuck]

Link?

ScarletandGrayNews ... still only [strike]$77.00[/strike] $49.95

 

[AKAK]

ScarletandGrayNews ... still only [strike]$77.00[/strike] $49.95

Pretty sure that gets you the whole website these days.

 

[Buckeyefrankmp]

Holy shit, people, let's not get hysterical here. Ntre Ame doesn't own the East Coast TV Market. And exactly what else, besides their supercalifragilistic football team do they bring to the Big Ten table? Bottom line that is the question that needs to be answered and the answer needs to be carefully scrutinized.

Notre Dame is a national brand name. If you get Notre Dame into the Big Ten you could get the Big Ten network into markets you normally would not. Right now The Big Ten has some of the best brands in college football in Penn State, Michigan, Ohio State and Nebraska. When you add Notre Dame, the Big Ten would be the center of college football.

On College Football - While Expansion Is Considered, Notre Dame Returns to Spotlight - NYTimes.com

It is not surprising that the two biggest players in this game ? Notre Dame and Texas ? are two of college football?s most recognizable brand names during good times and bad.

A side question. Is there anything preventing the Big Ten network from having one of their big time matchups being on prime-time Saturday night? I am talking Penn State-Ohio State or Ohio State-Nebraska. Normally these would be set aside for ABC. Does ABC/ESPN, contractually, get the first picks of games? If Notre Dame would enter the Big Ten could the Big Ten network get the Notre Dame-USC game to try to get into the Los Angeles market?