Jump to content

Realignment talk not going away


The Tower

Recommended Posts

44 minutes ago, DCLonghorn said:

I am starting to wonder if the remaining Big 12/Ir8 structure becomes a Fox property when ESPN backs out... So that this fight for the remains is Fox v ESPN. Ir8 can go to ESPN, which is the stronger network, but the lesser conference (for now), or choose to keep the Big 12 and expand with the stronger conference but lesser network money. This could get interesting.

Will Bowls y send the same letter to Fox? Ha.

The Big 12 is fighting for every cent of buyout money that they can get and they're also fighting to keep the Big 12 banner and the Power 5 position and the NCAA governance position that comes with it. 

But yeah, FOX is staring down the barrel of no more RRS, too, and 4 years early.  FOX probably doesn't want to see 100% of the valuable and semi-valuable college athletics inventory from the state of Texas all parked under the Mouse's umbrella.  If FOX can hold the Little 8 together (and that's simple enough so long as the ACC/SEC don't invite anyone else) then they've got some negotiation leverage.  

FOX:  "Stick to your guns, Bowlsby, get every cent you can from Disney and Texas/OU, and we'll re-sign you after '25 for more than the AAC is paying.  Do that and you get to keep your power 5 position, too."  

 

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/big-12-believes-american-is-attempting-to-grab-eight-remaining-members-with-texas-oklahoma-leaving-for-sec/

Big 12 believes American is attempting to grab eight remaining members with Texas, Oklahoma leaving for SEC

Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby not holding back as he tries to save his league with its powers leaving

By Dennis Dodd  1 hr ago

Spoiler

The Big 12 is concerned that the American Athletic Conference (AAC) is actively attempting to assume all eight remaining league members once Texas and Oklahoma are formally accepted into the SEC, league sources tell CBS Sports. This comes as Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby told CBS Sports that ESPN is leading an attempt to restructure college sports.

"I'm absolutely certain [ESPN was] involved in it with the [American] trying to poach our members," Bowlsby told CBS Sports.

AAC commissioner Mike Aresco did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

ESPN provided the following statement Wednesday night in reference to Bowlsby's letter: "The claims in the letter have no merit."

The Big 12 has clearly taken a fight-to-the-death stance as the two most powerful members of its league are mere steps from joining the nation's most powerful conference.

In fact, the Big 12's bylaws are written in such a way that -- if there is even one member remaining -- a program can individually sue any of the entities in this discussion -- the SEC, the AAC or even ESPN.

Leaning on the "disinterested directors" clause in its bylaws, the Big 12 intends to make the migration of Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC as difficult as possible. 

After losing four teams in the last round of conference realignment a decade ago, those bylaws were drafted in 2012 to stand for a period of 99 years. Texas and Oklahoma were part of the group who, according to one source, wanted the longest agreement possible.

That last round of realignment led to the Big 12 registering itself as a corporation in the state of Delaware. That helps prevent it from serving as a defendant in Texas where the University of Texas might have a legal advantage.

"Oklahoma and Texas are going to do everything they can to get out of the grant of rights and get out of the bylaw stipulations. It's going to be a long process," Bowlsby told CBS Sports.

Bowlsby recently told the eight remaining Big 12 schools that his strategy is to fight for survival as long as they stay together.

As long the Big 12 remains viable, ESPN and Fox cannot reduce the conference's rights fees under the current contract.

Big 12 schools each make approximately $37 million annually. Industry sources told CBS Sports that the Big 12's worth declined 50% to 75% with the defections of the Longhorns and Sooners.

"The eight remaining schools are dealing with a lot," Bowlsby told CBS Sports. "They're coming off a COVID year. They're coming off a rough year on ticket sales. … If we stay together, I think we'll have some options [in realignment]."

While it's reasonable to expect further consolidations in conference realignment, the Big 12 believes the conferences themselves should control that dialogue instead of what it considers to be undue influence by ESPN.

ESPN has exclusive rights to the ACC and will have those rights to the SEC soon. It shares Tier I media rights with Fox for the Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac-12.

So any trial would be in Delaware?

Also, is the following true?  I thought there was a clause that ESPN and FOX could adjust payouts to the league if any school leaves or is added?

As long the Big 12 remains viable, ESPN and Fox cannot reduce the conference's rights fees under the current contract.

Edited by clapclapclap
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, clapclapclap said:

Because it is a long time realignment phony insider account.

Here's a realignment tip from those that have followed this for over a decade.  The following are all realignment frauds that have never predicted anything correctly beyond broken clock percentages:

MHver3, the Dude from WV, Greg Fluegar, Greg(?) Swaim

There are others that I'm forgetting at the moment, but those were the most obvious (and most retweeted by suckers) in previously rounds of realignment .

MHver3 writes the most voluminous works of fiction of the 4.  A psycho.

He's not a psycho.  He's the only one of the 4 who seems to understand he is writing fiction.  He's the most entertaining of the bunch.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

53 minutes ago, sdhornesq said:

Sup Rimbo

No, I mean if the Big XII is going to die, how is this a bad deal for the rest of the teams?

Apparently, Bowlsby is under the impression that the Big XII's death is NOT imminent.

Hilarious, no?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, DFW Horn said:

I'm surprised BYU is eager to join a Big 12 without UT and OU.

What are their TV contracts worth annually? Their 2021 indy schedule looks pretty good with five Pac-12 opponents.

$8M per year in the first contract.  

6 hours ago, Huckleberry said:

Not that much.

https://www.cougarboard.com/board/message.html?id=25239222

Roughly $4.5M in broadcast revenue. A lot less than commonly believed. And it matches with previous estimates:

https://lawlessrepublic.com/2017/09/21/byu-football-espn-contract-money/

They re-upped in late 2019 or early 2020 so it could have gone up a bit but I doubt it's over $6M.

The original contract stipulated $8m per year, but since BYU is a private institution, they never really release their numbers so it is hard to verify.  

6 hours ago, Huckleberry said:

I think they're underpaid but the network is negotiating with a single school, the inventory is low, and ESPN is already paying other people for all their road games. Being independent is a rough road.

The inventory has actually improved.  ESPN has benefited from all of the games with P5 schools and Boise State to the point that they have been a key partner in getting games scheduled.  We might even have a neutral site game with Notre Dame announced for next year.  

6 hours ago, texifornia said:

They (using a broad brush) love football, but there just aren't that many of them. And their schedules as an indy haven't been thrilling.

You underestimate the size of BYU's fan and alumni base.  We have a sizeable presence both out west (as much as any Pac 12 school except maybe USC and Oregon) with a sizeable presence in Texas, the east coast and in parts of the South.  

6 hours ago, pops said:

Pac is never taking byu. Even if they looked past the academics,  the LGBT stuff is a non starter for many of those schools/states. It made all the sense in the world to take them when they took utah and they were never really considered. 

BYU's academics are solid and would place them in the top half or top third of the Pac 12 academically.  The Pac 12 hasn't considered BYU because of one thing, religion.  Take out BYU's association with religion and we would have been in the Pac 12 decades ago.  

6 hours ago, 6th Street said:

BYUs anti-gay and no SUNDAY play policies are a non-starter for any major conference

The no-Sunday play policy is overblown and easy to work around.  The LGBT issue is overblown as well, BYU has made significant progress towards inclusion of LGBT.

5 hours ago, JimmyJames said:

There is no way in hell the PAC 12 takes Baylor or BYU, but TCU has a shot. 
 

It’s not necessarily that they’re against “religious” schools it’s more like they’re against the crazier versions with some fucked up policies. I admit I’m unfamiliar with how TCU enforces it’s policies but no way are they on the same level as BYU or Baylor.
 

Plus the whole briles/Starr rape thing kind of hurts Baylors chances there. 

If they won't take BYU, no way in hell will they take TCU.  TCU brings little to the table compared to BYU.  BYU already has a sizeable presence within the Pac12 footprint with a sizeable following outside of the Pac12 footprint as well.  BYU's tv ratings were also higher then the IR8 schools (exclusing OU/UT) by about 200k viewers per game on average.  

 

  • Hook 'Em 3
  • Fuck You 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

43 minutes ago, SwAss said:

$8M per year in the first contract.  

The original contract stipulated $8m per year, but since BYU is a private institution, they never really release their numbers so it is hard to verify.  

The inventory has actually improved.  ESPN has benefited from all of the games with P5 schools and Boise State to the point that they have been a key partner in getting games scheduled.  We might even have a neutral site game with Notre Dame announced for next year.  

You underestimate the size of BYU's fan and alumni base.  We have a sizeable presence both out west (as much as any Pac 12 school except maybe USC and Oregon) with a sizeable presence in Texas, the east coast and in parts of the South.  

BYU's academics are solid and would place them in the top half or top third of the Pac 12 academically.  The Pac 12 hasn't considered BYU because of one thing, religion.  Take out BYU's association with religion and we would have been in the Pac 12 decades ago.  

The no-Sunday play policy is overblown and easy to work around.  The LGBT issue is overblown as well, BYU has made significant progress towards inclusion of LGBT.

If they won't take BYU, no way in hell will they take TCU.  TCU brings little to the table compared to BYU.  BYU already has a sizeable presence within the Pac12 footprint with a sizeable following outside of the Pac12 footprint as well.  BYU's tv ratings were also higher then the IR8 schools (exclusing OU/UT) by about 200k viewers per game on average.  

 

Of course BYU has higher tv viewership than the IR8, sister wives inflate the Nielsen ratings.

 

  • Hook 'Em 2
  • Like 1
  • Haha 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, SwAss said:

$8M per year in the first contract.  

The original contract stipulated $8m per year, but since BYU is a private institution, they never really release their numbers so it is hard to verify.  

The inventory has actually improved.  ESPN has benefited from all of the games with P5 schools and Boise State to the point that they have been a key partner in getting games scheduled.  We might even have a neutral site game with Notre Dame announced for next year.  

You underestimate the size of BYU's fan and alumni base.  We have a sizeable presence both out west (as much as any Pac 12 school except maybe USC and Oregon) with a sizeable presence in Texas, the east coast and in parts of the South.  

BYU's academics are solid and would place them in the top half or top third of the Pac 12 academically.  The Pac 12 hasn't considered BYU because of one thing, religion.  Take out BYU's association with religion and we would have been in the Pac 12 decades ago.  

The no-Sunday play policy is overblown and easy to work around.  The LGBT issue is overblown as well, BYU has made significant progress towards inclusion of LGBT.

If they won't take BYU, no way in hell will they take TCU.  TCU brings little to the table compared to BYU.  BYU already has a sizeable presence within the Pac12 footprint with a sizeable following outside of the Pac12 footprint as well.  BYU's tv ratings were also higher then the IR8 schools (exclusing OU/UT) by about 200k viewers per game on average.  

 

California AB 1887 prohibits state schools funding travel to any state that has what they deem to be discriminatory laws. Texas is one of the states on their banned list. So I can’t see the PAC taking any school from Texas, Oklahoma, or Kansas. Apparently they are cool with Utah though. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Sejjr said:

California AB 1887 prohibits state schools funding travel to any state that has what they deem to be discriminatory laws. Texas is one of the states on their banned list. So I can’t see the PAC taking any school from Texas, Oklahoma, or Kansas. Apparently they are cool with Utah though. 

That's for civic conventions & mess, it doesn't affect privates as USC & Stanford/ UCLA & Cal pay for travel themselves for coaches ect...
Now, will PAC go through with adding non-OU & UT teams..? I dunno, but they can dictate the league how they want w/o the "big dogs"...

 

We might be more likely to see Tech & Poke hold out for PAC/ 'Hawk & 'Clone for B1G/ & everyone else 'fighting' to overtake AAC teams...
It is a case kinda like if XII & AAC had a conversation in one sentence on this, one thinks XII has more value/ 1 thinks AAC is more stable...

Untitled.png

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

56 minutes ago, Sejjr said:

California AB 1887 prohibits state schools funding travel to any state that has what they deem to be discriminatory laws. Texas is one of the states on their banned list. So I can’t see the PAC taking any school from Texas, Oklahoma, or Kansas. Apparently they are cool with Utah though. 

That's not completely true.  AB 1887 prevents state government entities from using taxpayer funds to travel to prohibited states.

I believe Cal, UCLA, SDSU, Fresno State, and others get around this by paying for travel to prohibited states for games directly out of their athletic budgets.

  • Hook 'Em 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 7/26/2021 at 1:54 PM, theBigHen said:

I have friends and relatives bombarding me with texts telling me how Texas is the bad guy and how we have fucked everyone in the conference over. Can someone provide me a brief and factual retort to this that will shut them up? 

No facts or details needed, no flowery bullshit or excuses needed.  It's a big boy world where institutions look out for themselves, if others didn't... shame on them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote

Michael L. Aresco is an American college sports and television executive. Aresco is the current commissioner of the American Athletic Conference (AAC/The American), a college athletics conference. He was the last commissioner of the old Big East Conference from August 14, 2012 to June 30, 2013. He continued as commissioner of The American, the legal successor to the old Big East, when that league formally began operations on July 1, 2013.

Aresco is a graduate of Tufts University, the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University and the University of Connecticut Law School . He practiced law privately in Hartford, Conn., for several years. He previously served as the Executive Vice President, Programming of CBS Sports.[1] and started in TV with ESPN where he was responsible for overseeing the acquisition, scheduling and development of long-term strategies for all ESPN college sports properties. He joined ESPN in 1984 as Counsel and was named Assistant General Counsel in 1988 before moving to the programming department.

Bowlsby and Fox vs Aresco and ESPN. Gotta put my money on the mouse.

  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

49 minutes ago, Constant said:

Gonna be awfully uncomfortable for Bowlsby when he has to hand Lincoln another trophy in few months. 

Yeah... The final big 12 championship game really needs to be TX v Oklahoma. I think the sec chants are lame, but having 80,000 people or however many people fit in Jerry world, chanting sec while bowlsby hands over the trophy to Riley or Sark would be hilarious. 

  • Hook 'Em 1
  • Like 1
  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Mitch Cumsteen said:

Yeah... The final big 12 championship game really needs to be TX v Oklahoma. I think the sec chants are lame, but having 80,000 people or however many people fit in Jerry world, chanting sec while bowlsby hands over the trophy to Riley or Sark would be hilarious. 

If any team outside of Texas and Oklahoma are in the Big 12 championship game, you can imagine how the calls might go.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This thread is quite the roller coaster - especially starting from yesterday when the Cease-and-Desist letter dropped.  A large group of them were convinced the FBI & DOJ would be involved and that ESPN execs were headed to prison - until one brave soul explained to them that tortious interference was not a criminal offence.  Now they're all convinced that they'll be receiving a billion dollar settlement from the Mouse. 

I legitimately feel bad for Iowa St - they seem like good people (as opposed to the human excrement down in Waco).

https://cyclonefanatic.com/forum/threads/report-ou-texas-reach-out-to-join-sec.264289/page-196

  • Like 1
  • Haha 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Burt Macklin said:

Does anyone have a copy of the Grant of Rights Agreement? I’ve only seen the language form the Conference agreement, which references the GOR Agreement and provides for the Buyout Amount. 

Dennis Dodd reports that it’s written in Pig Latin and Texas and Oklahoma won’t be able to get out of it without a translator, which is damn hard to find these days.

  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



×
×
  • Create New...