It may happen, but it can't happen until 2025.
Why? MD said otherwise. It's only money in the end & Delaney has a pretty high stake in the ground with the first 1/2 of media rights, 2nd half still tbd.
It may happen, but it can't happen until 2025.
http://gridironnow.com/big-12-sec-conference-realignment/
Not sure how much is poker, how much is real, but looks like the tweet is coming from the beat writer for Oklahoma, the article from an SEC guy. Is Delaney ready to take Oklahoma or does academics stand in the way?
Why? MD said otherwise. It's only money in the end & Delaney has a pretty high stake in the ground with the first 1/2 of media rights, 2nd half still tbd.
Maryland hadn't granted their media rights to the conference.
I should say, Oklahoma is free to go play wherever they want. I'm not sure there's even an exit fee. But the rights to broadcast their games belong to the Big XII until 2025, therefore they are an economically valueless entity until then.
All those grants of rights, all the big TV contracts, and the CFP structure and TV contract all expire in that 2023-25 range. That's when this is carousel is going to start spinning again.
In the meantime, expect the Big XII to kiss and make up (temporarily) and choose whichever two Group of Five teams give them the best chance of survival once the whole thing kicks off again.
I seem to recall also that Oklahoma insisted they were a package deal with Oklahoma State during the last realignment.
You are probably right, 2025 makes the most sense for OK as long as there opportunity doesn't close. But an article suggesting GOR is beatable.
http://www.foxsports.com/college-football/outkick-the-coverage/myth-of-the-big-12s-grant-of-rights-010313
Then an article by Frank the Tank on why OK doesn't likely want to try.
https://frankthetank.me/2013/08/08/summertime-conference-realignment-walking-dead-a-look-at-the-big-12-grant-of-rights-agreement/
They definitely started out as a package deal, but I heard one rumor that they would have went alone or were at least willing to try to go alone if it would have made the difference. Not sure how much of that is true.
I seem to recall the Oklahoma legislature made them a package deal. If that is the case, then the schools would not have the freedom to act separately. Just my recall which is frequently faulty!
NC & NC State are a package deal too. Bet the so-called package deals fall apart when the music stops.
Maybe, maybe not. OSU (Kansas State in the same boat) and those legislators loyal to it have a life-or-death imperative to see that their school doesn't get left out in the cold. A lot of those state legislators will likely be alums of those schools.
Oklahoma State, Kansas State. Iowa State can join Missouri State, Arkansas State, Texas State, Colorado State, New Mexico State, Idaho State and Utah State to form The State of Irrelevance Conference (aka the SIC) for all I care.
Colorado State has been to fourteen bowl games and has had five 10+ win seasons since 1990. They're currently building a $220 million on-campus stadium that opens in 2017. Not sure you want to lump them in with MVC and Big Sky teams, even for joke purposes. Major conference program fanbases love to mock and ridicule the have-nots until they transform into the next TCU or Utah and start wiping the floor with them.
Sure, legislators in states with schools in play will certainly try to hold sway. Whether or not they succeed is unknown.
Delany: “The market will decide what happens. ESPN has been a great partner, as CBS has, as BTN has, as Fox has. It’s a new day.”
ESPN prez John Skipper on Big Ten: We've been partners w. the Big Ten for a long time. Our interest is high. We'd like to remain partners."
Nothing new here, but have to laugh how Teddy G describes Jim Phillips as "the nation's highest ranking AD":
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/college/ct-espn-big-ten-20160518-column.html
Oklahoma isn't going anywhere this side of the SEC without Texas.
False.
Oklahoma would have gone to the PAC without Texas if they could have. They would also accept a B1G invite today, with or without Texas.
I'm pretty sure they wouldn't. The UT OU rivalry is huge, and unlike the UT A&M rival, both sides actually care about it. Multiple sources at the time said OU wasn't going anywhere without Texas.
That was then. I'd bet my next commission check OU would jump to the B1G or SEC in a nanosecond if offered. TX or no TX.