ESPN Verified account @espn It's official: There will be an ACC Network. Watch the news conference live right now: http://es.pn/29W2s5J
FINAL THOUGHT: The Big 12's announcement this week that it is likely to expand by two or four schools is obviously big news in college athletics, and it has universities scrambling damn-near from coast to coast. Anybody telling you they know exactly how this will unfold is lying because the Big 12 doesn't even know exactly how this will unfold. But after talking to several sources over several days, here's one man's best guess at what will ultimately happen:
1) The Big 12 will invite four schools.
2) The four schools will be BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and Memphis.
I hope BTN by subscription (no cable needed) becomes a reality soon. On the surface, it seems like it would enhance the current revenue stream and position well for the near future, but maybe I am missing something.
You mean like BTN to Go International? I subscribe to that and can catch a few games. Worth it for me.
I would imagine so but I am not comfortable with doing what is needed to access BTNTGI here, I just want a customer oriented end product option. I am a dreamer.
Waded through a bazillion posts on Frank the Tank's Slant and my thoughts on BIG expansion have changed. UT is distinct possibility now. Longhorn Network is hardly the smash they envisioned. B12 is basically a mess. Financial gap between the BIG and B12 is large and widening. UT would much prefer to be aligned with BIG academics. There seems to be a growing recognition of the positives and willingness to take the leap, accompanied by no longer needing a big list of concessions.
UT will probably get a neutral site game in Chicago or NY each season. Longhorn Network will be sunset-ed.
Clearly, OU will be invited (and join immediately) too.
ACC is on the back burner 'til at least 2030.
It is unlikely to happen (at least any time soon) imo, but football-wise Texas and Oklahoma would be the perfect additions to the Big Ten by adding two football kings and balancing the divisions.
Texas actually asked to join the Big Ten back in the 1990's when the Southwest Conference folded, but the Big Ten was not interested then.
Imagine if Big 10 officials had more foresight and added Notre Dame and/or Texas when they could have?
Revisionist history. ND never has asked to join. They've been invited numerous times. UT did not ask to join, at least as an equal member.
http://www.forums.gopherhole.com/bo...-Notre-Dame-and-Big-10-HIstorical-Perspective
I couldn't find confirmation about Texas inquiring about joining the Big 10 when the Southwest Conference collapsed, but I remember reading it in at least a couple places. Obviously, it was never an official application but rather an interest check.
Back channels? Wouldn't surprise me at all. OTOH, also wouldn't surprise me if a lot of strings were attached. UT, historically, is not an equal member (they are the sun). That appears to be changing though.
Waded through a bazillion posts on Frank the Tank's Slant and my thoughts on BIG expansion have changed. UT is distinct possibility now. Longhorn Network is hardly the smash they envisioned. B12 is basically a mess. Financial gap between the BIG and B12 is large and widening. UT would much prefer to be aligned with BIG academics. There seems to be a growing recognition of the positives and willingness to take the leap, accompanied by no longer needing a big list of concessions.
UT will probably get a neutral site game in Chicago or NY each season. Longhorn Network will be sunset-ed.
Clearly, OU will be invited (and join immediately) too.
ACC is on the back burner 'til at least 2030.
Interesting move by ACC to extend GOR for ACC channel. ESPN seems to have some politics in here as well to keep B1G from poaching ACC as they lose teams/content to FOX in B1G Tier 1 contract & Fox/BTN...so they offer up ACC channel when they seem to be backing away from further conference channels (both ACC & Big12). Be interesting to see how this plays out for ACC, I think part of the power of the BTN is the ESPN leverage the B1G has with BTN shared with Fox & why the B1G was so successful in ESPN negotiations for the 2nd half of the TV package.
Texas is definitely the team to watch in the near term. I still think that the possibility of NU, IL, PU and the like making more of primary TV package than Texas has to have the attention of Texas. Add in a weak conference and they have to be considering options in Austin.
UT is in play. Can't see them joining the SEC. The payout in the PAC is lame, plus the games are largely late night. The B12 is wobbly. The match is obvious. OU comes too. West becomes loaded.
It is unlikely to happen (at least any time soon) imo, but football-wise Texas and Oklahoma would be the perfect additions to the Big Ten by adding two football kings and balancing the divisions.
Texas actually asked to join the Big Ten back in the 1990's when the Southwest Conference folded, but the Big Ten was not interested then.
Imagine if Big 10 officials had more foresight and added Notre Dame and/or Texas when they could have?
Thank you. I read the same thing.50-year relationship? That would take us back to 1966. ESPN launched in '79. Am I missing something?
Thank you. I read the same thing.
Never mind. I see it's counting ABC.
I think it is complicated for many reasons. I don't think (maybe wrong) OU has the academics so that may be an issue for us. Unlike Rutgers and Maryland, there's no particular market that we'd want in Oklahoma. Oklahoma and OSU are tied together politically (where would OSU go?). If OSU doesn't have a landing place, I think Oklahoma politics would prevent OU from abandoning them. There's the increasingly nonsensical geography of things (look what an ill fit UWV is). Texas itself may not want to be an "equal partner" anywhere. No question Texas has it all (academics, football tradition, state rich in recruits etc.). I'm not saying any of you are wrong that it can't happen, but I think there are a lot of things that make it unlikely, and probably why it hasn't happened already.
Definitely an ESPN power play WRT the ACC.
Generally agree with you that there are a lot of things that stand in the way & could prevent it from happening. But there are also a lot of cracks in the Big 12. I think any team not named Texas would take a B1G offer in a heartbeat barring internal politics , OK & Texas will find a landing spot, everyone else should and is scared. Even Texas/OK have room for some concern of missing the best opportunity when/if the conference crumbles.
OU academics are an issue for sure, but not sure they are that much different than NE and in the right scenario may be overcome, such as coming in with Texas.
IMO, market will become less significant and football reputation more important as cable moves to a la carte...I think Oklahoma is making is north of 30 million in TV money in Big 12, so they are finding enough following and they will draw crowds on the road, so I don't think market is an issue.
I heard rumors that OK came back to the B1G after the B1G said no to OSU/OU package in the last realignment and asked if they could get in without OSU, not sure if that is really true...but there will be politics to save OSU...but if t looks like the choice is OU going down with OSU then the conversation changes.
If UT decides to join, the BIG will invite OU and they'll accept in a nanosecond. Yeah, their academics aren't up to snuff, but they're not a raging tire fire either. They can be brought up with time (a la Nebraska). Their market isn't much, population wise, but that's totally negated by their football standing. They are a king and their legion of fans are rabid.
The biggest problem w/OU is political. Separating from OSU is not going to be easy. The Cowboys crowd is going to kick, scream and try to stop it. But at the end of the day, I think the politicians will view having 1 school go to a premier conference, while the other is stuck in an also-ran conference is preferable to both schools being stuck in an also-ran conference.