And here we go again.
Sort of.
Texas A&M’s Board of Regents was already set to meet this Thursday and Friday to discuss a variety of topics. Now, they’ll add a closed-door session to discuss the specifics of Texas’ Longhorn Network, set to launch next month.
A source close to the situation told the Houston Chronicle that the agenda item has been named “Big 12 Conference”.
Now, before anyone’s suppressed memories of last summer come charging back in a fit of rage, the agenda is supposed to be information only, including specifics regarding ESPN’s ability to air high school games on the network (which A&M has questioned before), and no action (i.e. a move to the SEC) will reportedly be taken.
InsideTide’s Twitter account has a different opinion on the matter, but we’ll let you judge this one for yourself; A&M has reportedly threatened to leave the Big 12 on a couple occasions.
However, the source did state the obvious: that the LHN puts the Big 12’s other nine members at a multi-front disadvantage, including, and most importantly, a financial one.
The LHN has been inked as a 20-year, $300 million deal. And while A&M claims they are a committed member of the Big 12 today, such a long-term partnership with one member institution could (shocker) create a rift down the road at some point.
But let’s remember a few things:
- The Big 12 was stitched back and held together with dollar signs. Each and every member of the new Big 12 is getting significantly more money than they were a year ago. Not bad for a conference that was on the verge of collapse.
- In fact, Texas A&M and Oklahoma are getting a larger amount than seven other Big 12 institutions.
- The LHN isn’t a surprise to A&M, or anyone else for that matter. This isn’t a knee-jerk meeting, either.
- A&M, despite its best efforts, isn’t going to beat Texas on the bottom line agenda. No way, no how. Ohio State and Florida can’t even beat Texas (financially, that is).
Does that mean A&M can’t be concerned over the LHN? No.
But, emotional decisions are bad business moves, and it would seem for the time being that A&M should gather all the facts before bolting anywhere.