The Big 12 expansion groundswell

[ERCougar]

The problem is that this requires that OK and Texas be in the same division, which won't make either very happy.

This was my point to MRD and Babs. I have no idea how they feel about it.

Of course, saving the conference by acquiring ND...er...BYU might be worth it.

[Jacob]

I'm saying you can't downplay the effect ESPN had on Jimmermania.

Or any over-hyped sports story.

[Uncle Ted]

There are donors that would have that paid before their second helping of brisket was served. aTm has some very deep pockets.

So why can't those those deep pockets pay off TAMU's $16-18M athletic debt and clean up the A&M athletic department's finances?


http://espn.go.com/blog/big12/post/_...lling-finances

[falafel]

You mean Jimmer draining threes? Which were highlighted over and over on SportsCenter? Or random celebrities tweeting about Jimmer? Who they saw on SportsCenter over and over?

I'm not trying to downplay what Jimmer did. He made for a great story - which you have to admit ESPN took and really ran with.

I'm saying you can't downplay the effect ESPN had on Jimmermania.

Not to mention how many times Jimmer was on sportscenter himself after a big game.

[TheAzzuri]

So why can't those those deep pockets pay off TAMU's $16-18M athletic debt and clean up the A&M athletic department's finances?


http://espn.go.com/blog/big12/post/_...lling-finances

Wow, things have changed. In the past five-ten years a new student athletic facility, new basketball practice facility, and football practice facility/offices have all sprung up. All privately financed.

I'm suprised Dollar Bill isn't taking heat for this. Then again, with the exception of Fran, he's made some very good hires.

[Babs]

The problem is that this requires that OK and Texas be in the same division, which won't make either very happy.

You realize that Oklahoma and Texas have been in the same division for fifteen years?

[ERCougar]

I really wish there were noise from South Bend about all of this. It seems like they are the only ones not saying anything (I'm talking beat writers or administration).

[Paperback Writer]

"Texas and their own network has been the talk for over three years. What has A&M been doing while UT got this done? The enrollments are almost the same size, A&M is a very good school, a wonderful athletic department. So I'll ask again, where is their network? Why didn't they put something together when we knew UT was?"

"Don't blame Texas for trying to get a second game on the LHN, what do you expect them to do?"

"Did A&M and the other schools get caught with their pants down when UT announced the LHN? I say they did. Texas whipped the other schools butts when they announced this. It is the job of the administration to make more money and Texas did that. This is a big deal, there's a fury, because it surprised everyone and caught them off guard."

"What is A&M claiming of a recent upheavel? What is he talking about? I think the reference is the LHN? Did we not know about that? It is one, maybe two games per year? Is that what this fury is all about?"

"A&M is stunned about the LHN contract."

"This isn't about the LHN, the other schools are stunned with UT's aggressiveness. The Aggie alums should be asking their administratiion why they didn't try and get this done. A&M isn't Baylor or Tech or ISU, tehy're a bigtime school with a lot of money."

"If you're tired of being the little brother, that's fine, go, but don't blame the LHN."

I think what Texas A&M underestimated was the revenue the LHN would bring from ESPN. The Aggies may have thought, lets let UT go ahead with the LHN because it won't bring in much revenue and there will be little content of interest - no providers will even want to pick it up. Enter ESPN and their $$$ and that changes. Especially when it come to airing Big 12 games and HS games on the LHN.

Also, I've read that the A&M athletic department is in the RED for some reason - and in the RED significantly. Even with potential big donors, A&M may not have had the capital to invest in an Aggie network even if they wanted to.

Very few universities have the capital to make such an investment without pooling resources in a conference setting. UT was able to do it since Longhorn athletics are by far the largest revenue producer. BYU was able to do it with LDS church funding (I'm guessing as I doubt BYU athletics paid for it).

I do think the Aggies missed the boat on a school network. But so did the entire Big 12 outside of Austin. And so did most other conferences outside of the Big Ten. From an Aggie perspective, they probably have gotten used to living with an 800 lb Longhorn that is UT...but the 800 lb is now growing to 1200 lbs and projects to be a ton.

[Uncle Ted]

Wow, things have changed. In the past five-ten years a new student athletic facility, new basketball practice facility, and football practice facility/offices have all sprung up. All privately financed.

I'm suprised Dollar Bill isn't taking heat for this. Then again, with the exception of Fran, he's made some very good hires.

Given how bad the aggies want out of the Big 12 I could actually see them take up a collection to pay the buy out fee.

[Babs]

But all the better for my crazy dream of ND in the Big 12.

Yes. Oklahoma and Texas have been playing every season for a hundred years. The schools would probably be upset if they tried to split them up. Look at what happened to the one-time premier Thanksgiving-Day rivalry when they split Oklahoma and Nebraska.

[Paperback Writer]

You realize that Oklahoma and Texas have been in the same division for fifteen years?

Correct. A lot would have to change with the BYU and ND programs to strike much fear or grief with the Longhorns or Sooners. After all, Nebraska, Colorado, KSU, and Missouri only won the BIG 12 CG three times in the past 12 years and not since KSU upset OU in 2003. The Longhorns and Sooners are most likely content on playing each other in the RRS and then making sure the winner doesn't miss the bus to Cowboys stadium for the Big 12 CG.

[Paperback Writer]

Yes. Oklahoma and Texas have been playing every season for a hundred years. The schools would probably be upset if they tried to split them up. Look at what happened to the one-time premier Thanksgiving-Day rivalry when they split Oklahoma and Nebraska.

While I agree, OU wasn't too upset to break that Thanksgiving-Day rivalry with Nebraska. The Sooners did indeed break it and I guess got over it rather quickly.

I understand why OU made that decision at that time. The Sooners would have had to play UT along with the best programs in the conference (at that time) Texas A&M and Nebraska. Nebraska only had to deal with Colorado. OU was also struggling post-Switzer while Nebraska was winning back-to-back national championships. I wonder if OU would have made the same decision to not play Nebraska on Thanksgiving if their fortunes were reversed. Perhaps. But I think it goes down to OU seeing UT as it's rival not Nebraska; while Nebraska saw OU as it's rival and not Colorado.

[Babs]

While I agree, OU wasn't too upset to break that Thanksgiving-Day rivalry with Nebraska. The Sooners did indeed break it and I guess got over it rather quickly.

I understand why OU made that decision at that time. The Sooners would have had to play UT along with the best programs in the conference (at that time) Texas A&M and Nebraska. Nebraska only had to deal with Colorado. OU was also struggling post-Switzer while Nebraska was winning back-to-back national championships. I wonder if OU would have made the same decision to not play Nebraska on Thanksgiving if their fortunes were reversed. Perhaps. But I think it goes down to OU seeing UT as it's rival not Nebraska; while Nebraska saw OU as it's rival and not Colorado.

Are you talking about before or after the conference alignment was determined?

[Paperback Writer]

Are you talking about before or after the conference alignment was determined?

The discussions and negotiations leading up to the formation of the Big 12. Once the North/South alignment was decided (and this division made the most sense), Nebraska wanted a cross-over game with OU - much like the scheduling in the SEC. OU wasn't interested for the reasons I stated. At that time, OU and Nebraska weiled enough power to keep their Thanksgiving rivalry intact. And UT was only too willing to let OU play Nebraska every year. In 1994-95 OU understandably had reservations.

[Babs]

The discussions and negotiations leading up to the formation of the Big 12. Once the North/South alignment was decided (and this division made the most sense), Nebraska wanted a cross-over game with OU - much like the scheduling in the SEC. OU wasn't interested for the reasons I stated. At that time, OU and Nebraska weiled enough power to keep their Thanksgiving rivalry intact. And UT was only too willing to let OU play Nebraska every year. In 1994-95 OU understandably had reservations.

Interesting. I'm sure you're aware that OU has proposed a home-away to preserve the series with Nebraska, and that Osborne has declined.