The Big 12 presidents spoke today on a conference call to discuss what the departure of Texas A&M from the conference would look like as well as what the future of the Big 12 could look like without the Aggies.
Texas A&M president R. Bowen Loftin continued to give the impression that the Aggies’ would soon be leaving, sources said. Indicating that Texas A&M could be applying for membership to the Southeastern Conference as early as this week.
Also up for discussion, was various scenarios for what the Big 12 could potentially look like, including a discussion of adding three schools to the league instead of just replacing Texas A&M with a 10th school.
According to orangebloods.com. The following are various scenarios up for discussion.
NOTRE DAME: A scenario in which the Big 12 would add three schools to get back to being a 12-team league would involve Notre Dame.
If the Big 12 was to add Notre Dame, there is a good chance the Big 12 would have to allow the Irish football program to keep its relationship with NBC, which was renewed just a couple years ago. The Big 12 would also have to share some TV revenue with the Irish and would have to allow the Irish to pursue their own, independent network, sources said. And there appears to be sentiment in the Big 12 to do all that.
ARKANSAS:During last summer’s realignment, a third party extended feelers to see if the Big 12 would be interested in adding Arkansas, sources said. Arkansas officials adamantly denied ever expressing any interest in being in the Big 12. But if Arkansas were to express interset in the Big 12, it appears the league would be receptive to an application for membership from the Razorbacks, sources said.
PITTSBURGH:If Arkansas weren’t interested in joining the Big 12, it’s possible Pittsburgh could enter the picture, but perhaps only if Notre Dame is in the mix, sources said.
BYU: If Notre Dame could be added to the Big 12 as well as either Arkansas or Pittsburgh, BYU would be a popular target to be added to the league as the 12th team. If Notre Dame, Arkansas and/or Pittsburgh could not be added to the Big 12, it appears BYU would be a popular choice to replace Texas A&M, and the league would remain a 10-team conference, sources said.
Some interesting possibilities in all of this, my favorite being the Norte Dame scenario plus two.
Regardless, of what happens, I honestly feel the loser in all of this will STILL be Texas A&M.
While they will escape the shadow of Texas, they most likely will assume their notorious role of shadow to a Big SEC team, for possibly the same amount of money, if not less.
The SEC already gets $200 million a year from CBS and ESPN combined, in 15-year contracts that they signed in 2009. That is a little less than $17 million per school per year.
So even if they decided to restructure these contracts for $60 more million dollars,bringing it to $260 million, the 13 teams would see $20 million each—Roughly the same amount A&M is getting now in the Big 12.
The only difference is, now they will have 1 million dollars they will have to spend towards traveling, according to an estimate A&M Athletic Director, Bill Byrne, gave last year.
Not to mention, CBS & ESPN probably wont be that gracious in restructuring the broadcast contract for that large amount of money for A&M because
- ESPN isn’t likely to pay to play there because of well, you know, its $15 million a year contract, with theLonghorn Network, and
- SEC games already beat out A&M games when they are on at the same time
With the exception of none other than: The A&M-Texas game. Which they may no longer even have if they decide to leave.
So can someone please explain to me what A&M has to gain by leaving the Big 12 again?
