# Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners might join the SEC **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Tags:** football-nfl\ **Created:** [July 22, 2021, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-longhorns-and-oklahoma-sooners-might-join-the-sec/947025 "2021-07-22T03:05:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2021, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-longhorns-and-oklahoma-sooners-might-join-the-sec/947025/81 "2021-07-30T18:13:55Z")
> [@Uncle\_Jocko](#): > > Or … the other outcome they’re crossing their fingers for is that the Big XII will fall apart without them, with the other schools jumping ship for landing spots in other conferences, which would let Texas and OU off scot-free since there’d be no Big XII for them to pay their penalties to. This is also the reason why the Big XII is accusing ESPN of illegally meddling in their affairs - [this letter claims the conference has proof ESPN tried to get the AAC to grab the Big XII leftovers.](https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/big-12-commissioner-alleges-espn-conspired-with-sec-american-to-lure-teams-from-conference/) > > Here’s the theory - Texas and OU announce they’re leaving for the SEC, but legally they can’t go until 2025. ESPN and the SEC desperately want that move to happen sooner, for $$$-related reasons. ESPN - which gets a portion of the Big XII broadcast rights, but has almost 100% of the AAC’s - decides to interfere with the Big XII’s contracts with the remaining schools, secretly trying to broker a deal to get the refugees to join the AAC. That means 1) Texas and OU can join the SEC sooner without any buyouts; 2) ESPN gets out of their rights fees with the now non-existent Big XII; and 3) ESPN now gets almost all the rights for the leftover Big XII teams at a huge discount, since the AAC rights are much cheaper than the Big XII’s. That’s pretty much it in a nutshell; UT and OU are banking on the Big XII having some kind of convulsion and collapsing prior to 2025, which would let them and ESPN off the hook. Presumably it’ll take the form of one of the better remaining teams (Baylor, TCU, Texas Tech, Virginia Tech) finding a new conference home and bailing before OU & UT are scheduled to move to the SEC. The big question there is whether anyone will get a conference offer that’s good enough to warrant jumping ship before UT/OU leave, or whether they’re going to ride out the Big XII because AAC or whatever G5 conference they’ll likely go to won’t pay as well. I would be amused if OU and UT had to grind out several more lame duck Big XII seasons before going to the SEC, solely because the other schools are trying to ride that gravy train as long as humanly possible. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2021, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-longhorns-and-oklahoma-sooners-might-join-the-sec/947025/82 "2021-07-30T18:30:24Z")
The Texas State Senate has a hearing scheduled on Monday of the just-created [Senate Select Committee on the Future of College Sports in Texas](https://senate.texas.gov/cmte.php?c=548). I’ve got a feeling they’re not going to be discussing rowing or mixed doubles tennis. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2021, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-longhorns-and-oklahoma-sooners-might-join-the-sec/947025/83 "2021-07-30T18:32:00Z")
Saw this on Twitter yesterday: The new-look SEC will have four four-team pods, which will be called E, S, P, and N. ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Jocko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uncle_jocko/32/2932_2.png) [@Uncle\_Jocko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Jocko)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2021, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-longhorns-and-oklahoma-sooners-might-join-the-sec/947025/84 "2021-07-30T19:39:54Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Baylor, TCU, Texas Tech, **Virginia Tech** I’m hoping you thought you were typing “Iowa State” while your fingers typed “Virginia Tech” 😄 > [@bump](#): > > I would be amused if OU and UT had to grind out several more lame duck Big XII seasons before going to the SEC, solely because the other schools are trying to ride that gravy train as long as humanly possible. I agree, this would be _hilarious_. Imagine Texas playing in Ames in 2023, or OU basketball on the road in Lawrence in 2024 … the abuse from the stands would be delicious. (This upcoming season is already going to be _lit_.) ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2021, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-longhorns-and-oklahoma-sooners-might-join-the-sec/947025/85 "2021-07-30T19:48:06Z")
I was under the impression that Texas and OU actually **are** indeed rich enough to pay the buyout penalty, and would prefer to begin play in the SEC as soon as possible, even as early as 2022. But we’ll see. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2021, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-longhorns-and-oklahoma-sooners-might-join-the-sec/947025/86 "2021-07-30T20:38:18Z")
Even for UT, a $75 million payout would be painful. Athletics takes in a lot of money – about $200 million in total revenue in 2019-20 – but they also had $179 million in expenses. Still, I’m sure they could shake their donors and come up with it if they really wanted to. Just easier to weasel out their obligations as the Big 12 implodes. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2021, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-longhorns-and-oklahoma-sooners-might-join-the-sec/947025/87 "2021-07-30T20:41:00Z")
According to one source (granted, SBNation isn’t the most reputable,) [Texas already has its buyout money “lined up.”](https://www.burntorangenation.com/2021/7/27/22596042/texas-longhrons-oklahoma-sooners-joint-letter-sec-membership-invitation-request) (second-to-last paragraph) ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2021, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-longhorns-and-oklahoma-sooners-might-join-the-sec/947025/88 "2021-07-30T20:44:38Z")
You’d think I’d have learned by now that it is impossible to overestimate UT’s willingness to throw money at a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Jocko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uncle_jocko/32/2932_2.png) [@Uncle\_Jocko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Jocko)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2021, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-longhorns-and-oklahoma-sooners-might-join-the-sec/947025/89 "2021-07-30T21:31:44Z")
I think it’s perhaps less the issue of buyout money (Texas was already filthy stinkin’ rich in the Big XII, they’ll be unimaginably swimming in gold in the SEC) as it is the SEC has no interest in TV income from their games going to the remaining Big XII teams. As long as the Big XII survives, they own Texas’ and OU’s broadcast rights through 2025 - so the money from those UT-LSU football games and OU-Florida basketball matchups would go straight to Iowa State/Baylor/Kansas et al, and the SEC wants no part of that. Plus, any public declaration of ignoring their contractual obligations through 2025 would mean even _more_ penalties, so, there’s that. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2021, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-longhorns-and-oklahoma-sooners-might-join-the-sec/947025/90 "2021-07-31T18:50:30Z")
> [@Uncle\_Jocko](#): > > As long as the Big XII survives, they own Texas’ and OU’s broadcast rights through 2025 Unless they buy out, right? I thought the whole point of the buyout was to compensate the other schools for that lost revenue. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2021, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-longhorns-and-oklahoma-sooners-might-join-the-sec/947025/91 "2021-07-31T19:55:10Z")
That’s my understanding. According to what I’ve seen reported, there’s also an 18 month notice requirement before a school can exit the conference. And while I think it would be hilarious to make UT and OU play the next four years in a zombie Big 12, it’s not really in anybody’s interest to drag this thing out. That’ll just result in a lot of money going to lawyers instead of athletic departments. I’m certain the remaining Big 12 schools will negotiate some sort of early exit for UT and OU in return for a big payout probably financed by ESPN. ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Jocko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uncle_jocko/32/2932_2.png) [@Uncle\_Jocko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Jocko)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2021, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-longhorns-and-oklahoma-sooners-might-join-the-sec/947025/92 "2021-08-01T00:53:54Z")
> [@Zakalwe](#): > > Unless they buy out, right? I thought the whole point of the buyout was to compensate the other schools for that lost revenue. Yeah, I suppose. You can negotiate to buy out anything. But the GoR is the reason 2025 is on everything “official” being announced right now, because that stays in effect until that year … unless the Big XII agrees to take a buyout to let it slide, or the conference dissolves. I think there’s at least two issues at play: Texas and OU face penalties for leaving the Big XII without giving adequate notice, which applies to them regardless of when they actually leave, and then there’s _also_ the Grant of broadcast Rights provisions up to 2025. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2021, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-longhorns-and-oklahoma-sooners-might-join-the-sec/947025/93 "2021-08-03T18:50:35Z")
Big 12 and Pac-12 commissioners meet for discussions. > **[Report: Big 12, Pac-12 Commissioners to Discuss Possible Merger or Schedule...](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10009540-report-big-12-pac-12-commissioners-to-discuss-possible-merger-or-schedule-alliance)** > > Commissioners from the Pac-12 and Big 12 will meet Tuesday to discuss a potential working relationship, according to The Athletic's ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2021, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-longhorns-and-oklahoma-sooners-might-join-the-sec/947025/95 "2021-09-17T14:08:00Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > And while I think it would be hilarious to make UT and OU play the next four years in a zombie Big 12, it’s not really in anybody’s interest to drag this thing out. Looks like that’s the direction they’re heading though, with the recent announcement of the addition of BYU, Houston, UCF and Cincinnati to the Big 12. If I were Bowlsby I’d totally make OU and UT stick it out as long as I possibly could, as a sort of retribution for jumping ship and leaving the conference worse than they found it. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2021, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-longhorns-and-oklahoma-sooners-might-join-the-sec/947025/96 "2021-09-17T14:27:18Z")
The math-stickler in me is happy that the Big-12 now finally has 12 teams for the first time in many years. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2021, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-longhorns-and-oklahoma-sooners-might-join-the-sec/947025/97 "2021-09-17T14:36:56Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Looks like that’s the direction they’re heading though, with the recent announcement of the addition of BYU, Houston, UCF and Cincinnati to the Big 12. > > If I were Bowlsby I’d totally make OU and UT stick it out as long as I possibly could, as a sort of retribution for jumping ship and leaving the conference worse than they found it. I assume this makes it more likely that the Big 12 will cut a deal with UT and OU on an early exit, now that they have secured enough teams that they’ll be a viable conference (for now). As I mentioned upthread, ESPN will likely help finance an eyewatering figure for the remaining teams. Maybe there would be some schadenfreude for Big 12 fans in making them stick it out, but if one thing is clear from all of this it’s that athletic directors and conferences put their fans’ desires a distant second to their university’s bottom line. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2021, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-longhorns-and-oklahoma-sooners-might-join-the-sec/947025/98 "2021-09-17T14:41:55Z")
My feeling is that despite the amount of money they generate, they’re still something of a cancer for a conference, in that they’ve got attitudes and behaviors caused by decades of being THE dominant program and school in a very large state. Until very recently, A&M was the only team/school that really even could mount a challenge, and even there, UT still had the advantage in funding, visibility and legislative clout. My hope but not expectation, is that UT will come into the SEC and be good conference members, and not try to leverage everything for themselves. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2021, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-longhorns-and-oklahoma-sooners-might-join-the-sec/947025/99 "2021-09-17T15:57:25Z")
As a UCF fan, I’m conflicted. My freshman year ('99) was the first year of the post-Culpepper era, and our third season in I-A football. We beat Alabama in 2000, joined the MAC in 2002, joint C-USA in 2005, and joined the rump Big East/American in 2013 (and dominated it). I was quite happy being the big fish in a small pond, and eventually the playoff committee was going to have to let AAC schools into the playoff or lose all credibility. But UCF is getting $7 million per year from the AAC rights deals, and even without Texas and OK, the Big 12 rights deal is going to be $20 million-plus per school (it’s currently $35 million each). That’s going to make it a hell of a lot easier to keep out coaches from getting poached. And [getting to laugh at USF](https://news.yahoo.com/mike-bianchi-george-o-leary-234100926.html) is its own reward. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2021, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-longhorns-and-oklahoma-sooners-might-join-the-sec/947025/100 "2021-09-17T16:02:41Z")
Meh, a couple of 55-10 beatdowns at the hands of Bama will knock that attitude out of them. Even more so if it comes at the hands of A&M. ---
**Author:** ![SoToasty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sotoasty/32/2803_2.png) [@SoToasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SoToasty)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2021, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-longhorns-and-oklahoma-sooners-might-join-the-sec/947025/101 "2021-09-17T17:16:49Z")
It was not quite 55-10, but 40-21 vs a rebuilding squad is a nice welcome. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-longhorns-and-oklahoma-sooners-might-join-the-sec/947025.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/texas-longhorns-and-oklahoma-sooners-might-join-the-sec/947025.md?page=6)