Big XII Announcement

[TU_BLA]

So, whatever is happening, we'll know today. I wonder if the Wynn Sports Book has odds on this. I would take the "We won't be expanding at this time but we do remain open to the possibility of it occurring in the future" prop bet.

BYU is having a watch party for the announcement. Question is have they already been told they are in and that is why they're having a watch party? If not they are setting up like the final scene in "Dave" where Kevin Kline's character outs Frank Langella's character as being a lying puppeteer and everyone leaves the party. Plus, if someone at BYU knew it'd be leaked all over the place right now. We know if Houston or Cincinnati knew it'd be all over the internet...especially Houston...Cough High Kitty would be gloating all over this board for sure.

My guess: No Big XII expansion, Fox and ESPN announce a bump of $3M/ea to schools currently in Big XII. Honestly, looking at the product on the field, the Big XII is pretty awful. No one in the conference plays any defense at all, Iowa State, Kansas, and K-State aren't sure what the end zone looks like, and Baylor is a disgrace nationally because of their title IX issues that keep snowballing.

 

[TulsaGrad07]

I would take the "We won't be expanding at this time but we do remain open to the possibility of it occurring in the future" prop bet.

That's well put. I'd go in on that bet with you. The more you read about the Big 12, the more it sounds like they're in trouble down the road and will likely end up dissolving due to economics and asymmetric revenue sharing from team to team within the conference. I bet they wish they'd never courted all the teams and put the prospect of expansion on the table... Analogous to promising to start a relationship with 2 different girls then don't have the heart to tell them you'd really rather be single and see what the future holds.

 

[mcane]

mixed emotions here. I worry that the failure to expand will eventually lead to the Big XII break up and 4 16 team conferences. I don't think little TU makes the cut unless TU becomes a recognized power over the next 10 years or so.
On the other hand, I will be ecstatic as long as UH doesn't get a bid.

 

[lawpoke87]

Lots of smoke....Cincy and BYU

 

[drboobay]

We might see Cincy and BYU to B12 for football only, and Cincy and Uconn go to the Big East for all other sports. Then UConn football goes MAC.

 

[TU_BLA]

Lots of smoke....Cincy and BYU

If this happens, OU and TX announce they are leaving for somewhere else by next March.

Actually at this point TX and OU are both leaving sooner rather than later for somewhere. The Big XII is never going to see the next round of Tv negotiations they are due in 2025

 

[TU_BLA]

We might see Cincy and BYU to B12 for football only, and Cincy and Uconn go to the Big East for all other sports. Then UConn football goes MAC.

I don't see UCONN doing that. It will set their football program back another 10 years. Football only makes sense for BYU...

 

[TU_BLA]

Lots of smoke....Cincy and BYU

where are you seeing this LawPoke?

 

[lawpoke87]

where are you seeing this LawPoke?

It's all over twitter. Someone at Cincy released a banner of Cincy with the Big12 logo (it was quickly taken down) and BYU network is covering the announcement live. That's all I got. I wouldn't be shocked if the conference reversed course and added zero while taking the additional money which Fox and ESPN promised if they stood pat.

 

[TU1NNJ]

meeting ended but have not seen any smoke from Vatican chimney!

 

[TU_BLA]

Pete Thamel is reporting (via Twitter) that there will be NO EXPANSION. Meeting lasted 37 minutes...what a joke that conference's leadership has become. This is my guess as to what went down:

Bowlsby: Anyone in favor of expansion right now?
Big XII Presidents: <silence>
TCU President: Raises hand slowly
Boren: Shut up dude.. New guy doesn't get a vote
Bowlsby: It's settled. What do you all want for lunch?

Word is now that they are negotiating with ESPN and Fox and getting a little extra $ for the status quo.

 

[RealTUTypical]

Dang. Great for the AAC and Tulsa.

 

[lawpoke87]

BIG12 is a cluster

 

[TU_BLA]

McMurphy is now reporting that there will be no expansion as no school received the requisite 8 votes. Essentially all of the Texas schools banded together and refused to vote for anyone and that essentially ended it.

 

[cmullinsTU]

I'm late to the party, but Pac-12 and Big 12 won't ever add BYU until they make changes to their honor code with regards to homosexuality. There have been members of both conferences to make comments to this extent.

 

[TU_BLA]

I'm late to the party, but Pac-12 and Big 12 won't ever add BYU until they make changes to their honor code with regards to homosexuality. There have been members of both conferences to make comments to this extent.

That's sort of hypocritical for Baylor then. They certainly do not accept homosexuality...at least from a charter and Board standpoint. Students probably don't care, but the old school Baptist General Comvention of TX...no way no how

 

[mcane]

I thought the announcement was supposed to be at 5:30 today but I haven't seen anything official yet.

 

[mcane]

AP story now up - no expansion

here kitty kitty kitty - welcome to the AAC for good

 

[TU_BLA]

AP story now up - no expansion

here kitty kitty kitty - welcome to the AAC for good

UHs tool of a president put out a response that they feel the are P5 worthy. So subsidize athletics at the expense of academic quality. That's why they are essentially a 4yr community college. Enjoy not selling out the rest of the season and having to root for us against Navy

 

[lawpoke87]

Rumors is that the Big12 pocketing an extra $20M per year combined from Fox and ESPN for not expanding.

 

[TU 1978]

That's sort of hypocritical for Baylor then. They certainly do not accept homosexuality...at least from a charter and Board standpoint. Students probably don't care, but the old school Baptist General Comvention of TX...no way no how

Apparently Baylor accepts a lot of sexuality as that's what got Briles terminated.

 

[TU_BLA]

Apparently Baylor accepts a lot of sexuality as that's what got Briles terminated.

They don't really. Athletics is a different matter altogether. When I worked in student life there, students who violated visitation policy in he halls were treated more harshly than students who were caught drinking (underage) or doing drugs. Of course the football and basketball teams were dreadful then. Then Dave Bliss came and the culture changed...and definitely not for the better.

 

[t-townpod]

No surprise to me. ESPN has never wanfed the expansion with the options on the table. Money rules

 

[TU_BLA]

Would it be poor form to go on the Houston board and congratulate them on their AAC membership for the foreseeable future?

 

[RealTUTypical]

Only if you don't post a link to the Houston board so I can help!

 

[TU 1978]

Kitty board is called the LitterBox

 

[TU Hurricane Warning]

Kind of love that Cincy is stuck with us for now too. Although, kind of wish they would have left.

 

[TU Hurricane Warning]

all those AAC schools spent a truck load of money marketing...hehehe. Even the field at least in our budgets a little.

 

[Original TULSAFAN]

Houston believes that the Pac 12 is on the horizon (heck, they've been positioning for the Pac 12 longer than the Big 12 so it's a lock --- just a matter of time).

Seriously... their fan base thinks this... Most self righteous delusional fan base next to Cincinnati.

 

[Gmoney4WW]

A year or two down the line the Pac 12 can have the leavings of the Big 12 over Houston.

Houston is always a little late to the party, like when it's over.

Oh and by the way, if it wasn't already done? You can give Herman Munster one last peck on the cheek as he walks out the door at the end of the season.

 

[TU_BLA]

all those AAC schools spent a truck load of money marketing...hehehe. Even the field at least in our budgets a little.

Cincy spent $500M working towards this Big XII bid. That's $500M they're never getting back

 

[TU 1978]

The reality is that we had just as much likelihood to be added to the Big XII as any of the teams listed above - and it cost us nothing other than some conversations between our leadership and Boren.

 

[Raisin_Cane]

Cincy spent $500M working towards this Big XII bid. That's $500M they're never getting back

That's not $500m in marketing. Thats $500m in institutional and facility upgrades and staff to better rival that of a Big 12 school. So most of that money spent is still going to benefit the school and athletic department if they use it correctly, regardless of conference affiliation.

 

[lawpoke87]

That's not $500m in marketing. Thats $500m in institutional and facility upgrades and staff to better rival that of a Big 12 school. So most of that money spent is still going to benefit the school and athletic department if they use it correctly, regardless of conference affiliation.

I have a contrarian view to most on this board about the money Cincy spent on facilities. The movement of schools to P5 or possibly super 16 team P4 conferences is not yet over. Cincy is trying to position itself to be in that eventual 64 team upper division. The money differential between the schools will only increase if and when such a division occurs. Half a million will seem like good investment if Cincy get a golden ticket.

 

[TU_BLA]

That's not $500m in marketing. Thats $500m in institutional and facility upgrades and staff to better rival that of a Big 12 school. So most of that money spent is still going to benefit the school and athletic department if they use it correctly, regardless of conference affiliation.

I am aware that the money was not fully spent on marketing alone. My point was more that Cincinnati and Houston both spent more money on athletics than they have in the past and subsidized large chunks of that extra spending at the expense of their general fund.

 

[mcane]

And, while I'm pleased that the AAC stays together and clearly is the next-best conference, in about 10 years or so, I think we see the 64. There is time for TU to become sufficiently strong in both football and basketball to at least be in the conversation, but that will require new resources, such as vastly better attendance and an upper deck on the East side (with a soccer hood for sun relief). TU positioned itself solely for AAC with the Chapman remodel. It's great, but it's too small for P-5.

 

[TulsaGrad07]

What's more probable? The AAC becoming a power conference, or there being fewer conferences in the future? If college football boils down to a league where only 64 teams have a chance of competing, I have to imagine there would be considerable backlash from the general populace or maybe congress?

 

[TU_BLA]

What's more probable? The AAC becoming a power conference, or there being fewer conferences in the future? If college football boils down to a league where only 64 teams have a chance of competing, I have to imagine there would be considerable backlash from the general populace or maybe congress?

Lawsuit(s) would be fast and furious based on anti-trust. Better question, what happens first...64 teams in 4 16 team conferences OR the NCAA declaring Northwestern's football players are not eligible because they are no longer considered amateurs?

 

[rabidTU]

At least in the short term it provides some degree of stability for the AAC.

But like a broken record, I'd like to see the AAC expand and add Wichita St to guarantee strong roundball now and in the future.

 

[TU Pilot]

I agree that the Big XII holding off is great because it gives the AAC stability and the opportunity to make some serious strides in the future.

But (IMO), if the AAC goes the expansion route it should be because it gives us the best chance of becoming the P6 conference. I'd say we would want to add Air Force and Colorado State. Not just because of football but because they're solid universities all around.