Even though Texas A&M is officially exiting the Big 12 and entering the SEC beginning on July 1 -- if you’d like to cringe at revisit the Aggies’ first conference schedule, feel free to do so HERE -- the school still has to negotiate their buyout from the Big 12.
Yep, not out of the legal woods just yet.
According to A&M’s Board of Regents site, the group will meet Monday by phone to consider “authorization for the president of Texas A&M University (R. Bowen Loftin) to negotiate and execute a settlement agreement with the Big 12 Conference and its members.”
You can read the agenda, which consists of only that item, for that Monday meeting HERE.
The move is pretty standard stuff; the BOR gave Loftin permission to explore conference affiliation back in August when conference realignment 2.0 was building up steam.
The negotiated settlement is one of the last hurdles A&M needs to get past before it can head for its new conference home. Because of the timing of the notice A&M gave the Big 12 about its intentions to leave, Big 12 Bylaws state the school would have to relinquish at least 90 percent of its conference revenue payout to the Big 12. That number has been reported to be in the ballpark of $30 million.
Which brings us to the permission by the board for Loftin to negotiate a settlement.
(Tip of the cap: Brent Zwerneman of the San Antonio Express-News)