It’s still very, very early, and the details are very, very sketchy, but it appears that the weeks of speculation and rumors of Texas A&M moving on to the SEC are beginning to take some infant steps toward fruition.
AggieYell.com is reporting that Texas A&M has been invited, and has accepted, a spot to join the Southeastern Conference.
But hold your horses, folks.
While it’s entirely possible that the Aggies are moving on to the SEC, the formal announcement may not come for a few weeks.
Chris Level of RedRaiderSports — a man with some serious shoe leather — tweeted “Just got off the phone with AggieYell.com’s Jeff Tarpley. Aug 22nd is the day when A&M confirms they are headed to the SEC according to him.
“Bottom line is, everyone needs to focus on Monday, August 22nd. That is the first time anything can be official when it comes to the Aggies.“
Interestingly, Aug. 22 is the same day the NCAA will hold a meeting to discuss the legality of airing high school games on institutional and conference networks.
A source has told us “[A&M move is] Not a done deal. If it becomes official, won’t happen for another week at earliest. Big ‘if’ though.”
An A&M official could neither confirm nor deny the report to us.
At this point, the general feeling is that talks between A&M officials and the SEC — we’ve been told there has been occasional contact between the two for the past year — are solid enough that A&M President R. Bowen Loftin and AD Bill Byrne feel a formal offer is coming and could go to their Board of Regents to discuss the matter further.
(Note: one suggestion would be changing the words to your War Hymn. Just sayin’)
Any new items for the Regents to discuss has to be placed on the agenda three days prior to a scheduled meeting. And, unless it’s a special case, the new agenda has to be made public. In other words, everybody should know no later than Aug. 19 whether the A&M is bolting for a new conference.
Assuming, of course, that Aug. 22 is the day A&M plans to announce the move. If there’s a move.
The recent report also begs the question of who else could be joining the SEC. A&M has been flamboyant about their possible new home, but SEC Commissioner Mike Slive has been, on the contrary, fairly quiet.
We are confident tipping on the point of certainty that the SEC would not solely invite A&M. Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Florida State and Clemson are just a few of the programs being thrown around the rumor mill.
But we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. Word on the Big 12 street earlier was that if A&M were to leave, the Big 12 was fully prepared to move on as a nine-team conference — at least for the next few years.
That’s down the road, though, and this developing story is a day-to-day ordeal. At some point, however, we should expect to see some more certainty from it.
(Big thanks to John Taylor for contributing to this piece)
UPDATED 9:15 p.m. ET: And then there’s Chip Brown‘s report labeling Aug. 22 as “D-Day” for the Big 12:
“There’s no agreement in principle, nothing,” Texas A&M System spokesman Jason Cook told OrangeBloods.com.
More from OB:
Two sources said the SEC presidents are being gathered Saturday in an emergency meeting to address the possible addition of Texas A&M.
The sources said the Aggies’ nine-member regents board is leaning toward leaving the Big 12 and are being fueled by a lack of confidence in the current configuration of the league – i.e. the relationship between Texas and ESPN (the Longhorn Network) and how it could negatively impact the rest of the members.
YES!!
HAHAHAHA SUCK IT LONGHORNS!
This in a way puzzles me. Geographically, it doesn’t seem like a match. In a way, I understand how this could help A&M, but it also seems like this could harm natural rivalries with the other Texas schools and possibly recruits base in Texas.
The same acrimony that destroyed the Southwest Conference is alive and well. It’s kinda fun to watch.
@artbyshan
I disagree that it will hurt recruiting. The prestige of the SEC will be a draw and there is tons of football talent in that state. It would be a shame if they stopped their rivalry game with UT but I kinda doubt that happens … maybe temporarily.
The NCAA already announced today that high school games may not be carried on university sports networks, so that part of the article above is not quite accurate.
http://endzonereview.blogspot.com
ESPN radio 103.3 FM in Dallas has reportedly aired a story consistent with the information here and in Orangebloods.com. Unclear if this was merely a report-on-a-report, or originally sourced.
It should be pointed out that the broader tenor of the story on orangebloods.com is that A&M to the SEC is more likely than not, despite the “there’s nothing in concrete” assertion.
The next thing to ask is what are the backup plans for schools like Texas and Oklahoma, who stand to be the only remaining marquee schools if the A&M move proves true. Surely UT AD DeLoss Dodds and OU AD Joe Castiglione have contingencies…
http://endzonereview.blogspot.com
soonerdave:
from the NCAA release:
The NCAA is holding a meeting on August 22 with representatives from broadcast networks and several conferences to discuss the issue.
From our post:
Interestingly, Aug. 22 is the same day the NCAA will hold a meeting to discuss the legality of airing high school games on institutional and conference networks.
suck on that big 12
Ben:
I think our difference is a subtle matter of wordsmithing. The NCAA has already endorsed the interpretation of its bylaws in a manner that prohibits airing of “youth sports.” The issue being discussed wasn’t the “legality,” which I think is where I tripped up in your story… The point is the NCAA has made its ruling, and I think the meeting is to filter down the decision to everyone else. I don’t think there is a “legality” issue being discussed.
A&M was quick to praise the action.
Thanks for the input.
http://endzonereview.blogspot.com
A&M wasn’t just worried about that Soonerdave.
This is exactly what Nebraska said they didn’t want to be involved with.
Texas has the goal of independence. Flat out. OU better call the newly formed Pac-12 and offer their services along with OSU.
“Surely UT AD DeLoss Dodds and OU AD Joe Castiglione have contingencies…”
Yeah, UT does. IND
Unless OU can get BYU, Boise, Houston, and SMU to join the BIGXII to replace: Nebraska, Colorado, Texas, and Texas A&M the Big XII(Big Eight) is dead.
soonerdave, agreed. I believe our wording — or, at least our interpretation — is different. The NCAA has endorsed the interpretation of the bylaws, but, to me, a ruling implies there was some bylaw or legislation created, which there hasn’t been yet. The “legality” of it comes from that creation (or, lack thereof).
But at this point, I’m splitting hairs
Serious question;
Is the A&M Board of Regents really going to allow TAMU to pay “historic” exit penalties for the right to make less money in the SEC when the athletic department is still $10 million in debt to the university?
Frug. Chip Brown does a pretty nice job of explaining that:
An A&M source told Orangebloods.com the Aggies are having their lawyers look at everything, including the exit fees A&M would have to pay to leave the Big 12.
Under the current bylaws, Texas A&M would be required to relinquish 80 percent of revenues over a two-year period if the Aggies left with only a year’s notice.
And I believe they’d relinquish 50 percent revenues if they gave two year’s notice. But i’m not 100 percent sure on that. As for the money in the SEC, the conference has the ability to amend its TV rights contract, likely to the point were A&M would make more money even as part of, say, a 14-team conference, than in its current situation in the Big 12.
Either way, I’m not sure money payout is going to be a huge problem for A&M.
Hope this helps.
When Nebraska and Colorado left, the wording that was out there was “damages”. But I think they reworded their exit fees clause.
Ben, what would happen if the Big XII folds as a result. Would A&M still have to pay to leave?
Can we get a donation going to fund the exit fees for A&M, this is too good to have halted by money.
This is all Nebraska’s fault too because we were selfish… Right Husker haters?
What goes around…
bender,
Great question. The Big 12 Bylaws — which can
put you to sleepbe read HERE — don’t specifically talk about the conference collapsing, but if A&M were to leave and the Big 12 dissipated, then there would be no entity to pay any fee to.So, short answer: no. (and John helped with that)
No shocking, why stay in a conference when Texas has an obvious recruiting advantage and more money with the longhorn network. Also isn’t there unequal revenue sharing in the big 12.
Take a page from the Big Ten, the league is thriving for all sports and money, starting the Big Ten network a few years back was a great idea. With equal revenue sharing every team is on a equal playing ground. I heard each university got 22 million last season from the network.
Pac 12 is taking a page from the Big Ten and starting the Pac 12 network this season for the league.
The ME ME ME mentality by Texas is is turning off the other universitys in the conference and they want to jump ship.
If Texas want there cake and eat it to they should just be independant like Notre Dame.
Oklahoma is Texas’ little bitch. Haven’t really heard a squeak out of Norman since Nebraska left. Now A&M is allegedly leaving? Do something OU, show your pulse! I really hope A&M leaves and stands up to ESPN and Texas’ arrogance and “cash”nitized eyes.
Winners:
TAMU, SEC, NEBRASKA, BIGTEN, COLORADO, PAC12 (Schools getting out before the storm)
Losers:
BIG12, UT, ESPN, Potentially ACC (FSU makes the jump?)
@ blueblood18
The $22 million was the total conference distributions. The BTN itself was worth about $8 million per school. The revenue distribution in the Big XII isn’t fully equal, though under the new revenue deals about 78% of of all TV money will be distributed equally, with the remaining portion based on TV appearances (a system that actually favors A&M).
U of Texas will become an Independent within the next two years. Cha ching!!!!!!!
As an SEC man, Va Tech makes more sense than Fla St or Clempson as the 2nd school. Moving into TX and VA., ie. DC, would help with TV viewership and recruiting for all member schools.
Someone explain to me how this hurts UT? UT obviously wants to become independent. TAMU leaving the B12 pushes that process along. And any “advantage” that UT is geting from LHN isn’t going to magically disappear because TAMU isn’t in the conference any more.
All of the conference realignment stories make for good gossip, but if you want the solution to this madness, read the new book, “It’s Possible! Realignment and Playoffs – College Football’s Opportunity.” The book casts a vision for a real championship and conference alignments that will make financial sense for more schools.
I don’t think VT join the SEC because of academic-related issues. lol
I guess if we KNOW that UT wants to be independent, then this doesn’t hurt them.
What happens when these Independents all qualify for BCS bowls in the same year? UT, ND, BYU? (All coming from 3 VERY different religious backgrounds LOL) A couple fanbases might be upset.
BYE AtM! Texas is tired of your riding their coattail anyway! Texas wants to go INDEPENDENT but instead of just leaving and looking like the bad school(as if they already dont wear that jacket), Texas is smart enough to make other schools leave and break up the remainder of the BIG12 so it will look like they had no other choice other than to go INDEPENDENT.
Only aggies could see this as a win for atm.
“Look at me! I’m important! I’m relevant! I’m not dependent on my brother!”
Aggy, or Johnny Drama? Hard to tell…