Anyways, Chip Brown from Orangebloods.com reports OU may apply to the Pac-12 by the end of the month.
Oklahoma will apply for membership to the Pac-12 before the end of the month, and Oklahoma State is expected to follow suit, a source close to OU's administration told Orangebloods.com.
Even though Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said Friday the Pac-12 was not interested in expansion at this time, OU's board of regents is fed up with the instability in the Big 12, the source said.
The OU board of regents will meet within two weeks to formalize plans to apply for membership to the Pac-12, the source said.
Messages left Sunday night with OU athletic director Joe Castiglione and Oklahoma State athletic director Mike Holder were not immediately returned.
If OU follows through with what appears to be a unanimous sentiment on the seven-member Oklahoma board of regents to leave the Big 12, realignment in college athletics could be heating back up. OU's application would be matched by an application from Oklahoma State, the source said, even though OSU president Burns Hargis and mega-booster Boone Pickens both voiced their support for the Big 12 last Thursday.
There is differing sentiment about if the Pac-12 presidents and chancellors are ready to expand again after bringing in Colorado and Utah last year and landing $3 billion TV contracts from Fox and ESPN. Colorado president Bruce Benson told reporters last week CU would be opposed to any expansion that might bring about east and west divisions in the Pac-12.
Currently, there are north and south divisions in the Pac-12. If OU and OSU were to join, Larry Scott would have to get creative.
Scott's orginal plan last summer was to bring in Colorado, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State and put them in an eastern division with Arizona and Arizona State. The old Pac-8 schools (USC, UCLA, Cal, Stanford, Oregon, Oregon State, Washington and Washington State) were to be in the west division.
Colorado made the move in June 2010, but when Texas A&M was not on board to go west, the Big 12 came back together with the help of its television partners (ABC/ESPN and Fox).
If Oklahoma and Oklahoma State were accepted into the Pac-12, there would undoubtedly be a hope by Larry Scott that Texas would join the league. But Texas sources have indicated UT is determined to hang onto the Longhorn Network, which would not be permissible in the Pac-12 in its current form.
Texas sources continue to indicate to Orangebloods.com that if the Big 12 falls apart, the Longhorns would consider "all options."
Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe held an emergency conference call 10 days ago with league presidents excluding Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M and asked the other league presidents to "work on Texas" because Beebe didn't think the Pac-12 would take Oklahoma without Texas.
Now, it appears OU is willing to take its chances with the Pac-12 with or without Texas.
There seemed to be a temporary pause in any possible shifting of the college athletics' landscape when Baylor led a charge to tie up Texas A&M's move to the Southeastern Conference in legal red tape. BU refused to waive its right to sue the SEC over A&M's departure from the Big 12, and the SEC said it would not admit Texas A&M until it had been cleared of any potential lawsuits.
Baylor, Kansas and Iowa State have indicated they will not waive their right to sue the SEC.
It's unclear if an application by OU to the Pac-12 would draw the same threats of litigation against the Pac-12 from those Big 12 schools.
"What it means is that TCU could be out of the Big East before it ever officially joins. According to two college officials, it would be an easy departure for the Horned Frogs, since they would only have to pay a $5 million exit fee and aren’t bound by the 27-month waiting period penalty unless they are Big East members as of July 1."
Originally Posted by Jerm:
I just find it funny and ironic that out of all the schools rumored to be invited, it's another Texas school that gets the first invite.
Boy that should make Mizzou feel secure now...
TCU is the cleanest one to invite first. They are already out the door at the MWC and haven't even been in the Big East yet. BYU would have issues with getting out of the WCC. [Reply]
Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry:
TCU is the cleanest one to invite first. They are already out the door at the MWC and haven't even been in the Big East yet. BYU would have issues with getting out of the WCC.
BYU is already out of the WCC in football, I can't imagine it would be that hard to get out of there for its remaining sports as well. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Jerm:
I just find it funny and ironic that out of all the schools rumored to be invited, it's another Texas school that gets the first invite.
Boy that should make Mizzou feel secure now...
like A&M, TCU has lived in UT's shadow and will not toe their party line. I view this as a GOOD thing. Before it was always said UT would never allow another Texas school, especially a strong one like TCU. OU was the one pushing for TCU. [Reply]
Originally Posted by mnchiefsguy:
BYU is already out of the WCC in football, I can't imagine it would be that hard to get out of there for its remaining sports as well.
You are thinking of the MWC. WCC is the league where BYU just parked the rest of their sports just joined this year. Its the home of Gonzaga and St. Mary's. [Reply]
If the Big East is going to be a stickler about the 27 month rule, perhaps the Big XII strategy is to invite Louisville and then bring BYU in with them, just in time for the 1st Tier contract negotiations. Adding TCU now ensures the current 10 team agreement for the 2nd Tier isn't altered until that time. [Reply]
Originally Posted by HolyHandgernade:
If the Big East is going to be a stickler about the 27 month rule, perhaps the Big XII strategy is to invite Louisville and then bring BYU in with them, just in time for the 1st Tier contract negotiations. Adding TCU now ensures the current 10 team agreement for the 2nd Tier isn't altered until that time.
they aren't subject to the 27mo rule. Maybe you should head over to Tigerboard.... [Reply]
Originally Posted by ChiefsCountry:
You are thinking of the MWC. WCC is the league where BYU just parked the rest of their sports just joined this year. Its the home of Gonzaga and St. Mary's.
Would the exit fees be that bad though, considering no football is involved? [Reply]
Originally Posted by HolyHandgernade:
I'm talking about Louisville, not TCU.
The only reason TCU gets out of the rule is that there is a clause in their contract, they can get out before July 1 with only the 5 million dollar penalty. If TCU actually starts play in the Big East, then they would be subject to the 27 month penalty that the rest of schools are subject too.
Big East Commish was saying they were going to make Syracuse and Pitt play for the full 27 months. Would the Big East treat Louisville any differently? [Reply]
Originally Posted by :
Kansas State president Kirk Schulz, chairman of the Big 12 expansion committee, confirmed the league has voted to invite TCU as a 10th member.
"(TCU) fits well within our conference profile," Schulz said in a telephone interview. "This represents a tremendous addition to the Big 12."
The Big 12 later confirmed the move, saying it was approved by unanimous vote by the league's board of directors. Missouri, which announced plans to explore its conference affiliation, abstained.
"Obviously, we are very interested in Missouri staying in the Big 12," Schulz said. "We think the addition of TCU shows some stability. Bringing a team in this region into this league is critical."
Schulz said the league had not yet reached a consensus on whether to pursue future expansion or stay with 10 teams.
"I think we are continuing to deliberate and watch the conference landscape," Schulz said.
Schulz did say the league's board of directors would need to reach a decision "relatively soon" on how many members to add.
From K-State's standpoint, there's an argument for both a 10- and 12-team league, Schulz said.
"I think we've got some parts of us like the championship game and like the North-South format," Schulz said. "There's some places within the university at K-State that believes that. I also think there's some particular groups that love the fact we're playing every school in the league, making the championship determination on the field.
"As K-State president, I'm not sure I have a strong personal feeling on whether we should be 10, 12 or some other number yet."
Schulz indicated the league's expansion committee would remain active as the Big 12 ponders its next move. Cultural fit has been the priority when assessing expansion candidates, he said.
"I think we want to continue to find schools that we think will culturally fit within the Midwest," Schulz said. "That doesn't mean you can't grab schools from the east or the west, but I think they have to be universities that we feel fit with the other schools in our region, both athletically and academically."
TCU certainly fits the profile. The Horned Frogs have become a football power, winning the Rose Bowl last season, and their baseball team is a perennial contender for the College World Series. Located in Fort Worth, TCU also presents manageable travel for non-revenue sports.
TCU was set to join the Big East next season.
"They certainly have very competitive athletic programs," Schulz said. "They fit well within our conference footprint. For non-revenue sports, our fan base, travel into the Dallas-Fort Worth, it's very convenient."
Here are a couple of interesting links...the first one is a football forum post, so take it for what it is worth. The second is a Mike DeArmond article for campus corner, and seems pretty solid.