Nobody Wants OU - Why?

[PLaw]

Interesting perspective for SEC expansion:
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Tennesse talk-show host: SEC's wish list includes Texas and Texas A&M


05:04 PM CDT on Friday, May 21, 2010
By DAVID HARRIS / Special Contributor to SportsDayDFW.com

Citing a source close to CBS, Jimmy Hyams of WNML-AM 990 in Knoxville said that SEC commissioner Mike Silve has already met with officials from the network to discuss potential expansion plans if the Big Ten does, in fact, go through with its rumored expansion.

Hyams said that Silve told SEC executives they would likely go after Texas, Texas A&M, Florida State and Clemson in hopes of becoming a 16-team power conference.
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Hmmm, makes me think why nobody wants OU???? Thoughts??

BOOMER

[PLaw]

Here is something to chew on:

Today’s Orlando Sentinel includes the second installment in the newspaper’s six-part series “Tough times: College sports and the economy.” In the piece, we look at the issue of subsidies for athletic departments. At a time when universities across the country are cutting back on academic programs because of the recession, will the subsidies that help fund intercollegiate sports programs become a political issue?



The chart in this blog entry ranks all Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly known as Division I-A) schools by the total revenue they took in during the 2007-08 reporting year. These revenues include generated revenue (such as proceeds from ticket sales and sponsorships) and allocated revenue (such as tuition waivers, money from student fees and direct institutional support.)








The figures come from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education. Each year, the Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act requires schools to report their overall revenues to the Department of Education. (The Naval Academy and U.S. Military Academy did not report their revenues and, therefore, are not included in the chart.)



As the figures indicate, the athletic departments with the highest revenue typically are from schools that fill 80,000- to 100,000-seat football stadiums on autumn Saturdays and come from conferences that receive an automatic Bowl Championship Series bid.


Rank School Total Revenue Conference
1st Texas $120,288,370 Big 12
2nd Ohio State $117,953,712 Big Ten
3rd Florida $106,030,895 Southeastern Conference
4th Michigan $99,027,105 Big Ten
5th Wisconsin $93,452,334 Big Ten
6th Penn State $91,570,233 Big Ten
7th Auburn $89,305,326 Southeastern Conference
8th Alabama $88,869,810 Southeastern Conference
9th Tennessee $88,719,798 Southeastern Conference
10th Oklahoma State $88,554,438 Big 12
11th Kansas $86,009,257 Big 12
12th Louisiana State $84,183,362 Southeastern Conference
13th Georgia $84,020,180 Southeastern Conference
14th Notre Dame $83,352,439 Independent
15th Iowa $81,148,310 Big Ten
16th Michigan State $77,738,746 Big Ten
17th Oklahoma $77,098,009 Big 12
18th Stanford $76,661,466 Pac-10
19th University of Southern California $76,409,919 Pac-10
20th Nebraska $75,492,884 Big 12
21st Texas A&M $74,781,640 Big 12
22nd Kentucky $71,186,184 Southeastern Conference
23rd Duke $67,820,335 ACC
24th South Carolina $66,545,953 Southeastern Conference
25th UCLA $66,088,264 Pac-10
26th Virginia $65,400,485 ACC
27th Arkansas $64,197,470 Southeastern Conference
28th California $63,884,710 Pac-10
29th Minnesota $63,782,454 Big Ten
30th Purdue $62,093,614 Big Ten
31st North Carolina–Chapel Hill $61,263,269 ACC
32nd Boston College $61,203,340 ACC
33rd Washington $60,729,016 Pac-10
34th Clemson $59,126,212 ACC
35th Illinois $57,167,843 Big Ten
36th Oregon $56,623,902 Pac-10
37th Virginia Tech $56,029,172 ACC
38th Indiana $54,839,398 Big Ten
39th Connecticut $54,721,742 Big East
40th West Virginia $54,262,716 Big East
41st Maryland $54,171,741 ACC
42nd Arizona State $53,479,441 Pac-10
43rd Colorado $52,631,896 Big 12
44th Louisville $52,203,604 Big East
45th Rutgers $50,181,300 Big East
46th Missouri $49,113,786 Big 12
47th Kansas State $48,160,113 Big 12
48th Oregon State $47,185,827 Pac-10
49th Georgia Tech $47,126,247 ACC
50th Arizona $46,988,400 Pac-10
51st Miami (Fla.) $46,849,990 ACC
52nd Vanderbilt $45,521,855 Southeastern Conference
53rd Florida State $45,414,953 ACC
54th Syracuse $44,702,831 Big East
55th North Carolina State $44,553,795 ACC
56th Baylor $44,151,763 Big 12
57th Texas Christian University $43,439,777 Mountain West
58th Texas Tech $42,844,855 Big 12
59th Northwestern $41,835,733 Big Ten
60th Wake Forest $39,961,624 ACC
61st Pittsburgh $39,741,621 Big East
62nd Washington State $39,621,059 Pac-10
63rd Iowa State $38,642,013 Big 12
64th BYU $36,695,623 Mountain West
65th Mississippi $34,769,709 Southeastern Conference
66th USF $34,727,263 Big East
67th Cincinnati $33,886,561 Big East
68th Memphis $33,393,717 Conference USA
69th SMU $33,031,503 Conference USA
70th Hawaii $33,012,865 Western Athletic Conference
71st UNLV $32,796,515 Mountain West
72nd San Diego State $31,697,560 Mountain West
73rd Houston $30,856,264 Conference USA
74th Air Force Academy $30,604,249 Mountain West
75th Mississippi State $30,440,090 Southeastern Conference
76th East Carolina $29,268,128 Conference USA
77th New Mexico $28,806,308 Mountain West
78th UCF $28,775,770 Conference USA
79th Temple $27,478,056 Mid-American Conference
80th Utah $26,949,005 Mountain West
81st Rice $26,767,228 Conference USA
82nd Fresno State $26,273,405 Western Athletic Conference
83rd Tulsa $25,797,664 Conference USA
84th New Mexico State $25,065,502 Western Athletic Conference
85th Wyoming $23,717,482 Mountain West
86th Miami (Ohio) $23,263,940 Mid-American Conference
87th UTEP $23,182,621 Conference USA
88th Colorado State $22,093,683 Mountain West
89th Boise State $21,777,002 Western Athletic Conference
90th UAB $21,566,166 Conference USA
91st Central Michigan $21,493,640 Mid-American Conference
92nd Marshall $21,340,076 Conference USA
93rd Nevada $21,057,972 Western Athletic Conference
94th Ohio $20,448,176 Mid-American Conference
95th Florida International $20,230,655 Sun Belt Conference
96th Tulane $20,029,935 Conference USA
97th Western Kentucky $19,957,909 Independent
98th Eastern Michigan $19,341,287 Mid-American Conference
99th Northern Illinois $19,199,427 Mid-American Conference
100th Western Michigan $19,190,254 Mid-American Conference
101st Buffalo $19,080,151 Mid-American Conference
102nd Kent State $18,891,133 Mid-American Conference
103rd San Jose State $18,318,325 Western Athletic Conference
104th Toledo $18,127,253 Mid-American Conference
105th Bowling Green $18,087,524 Mid-American Conference
106th Akron $17,942,424 Mid-American Conference
107th Ball State $17,427,728 Mid-American Conference
108th Middle Tennessee State $17,254,577 Sun Belt Conference
109th North Texas $15,762,952 Sun Belt Conference
110th Florida Atlantic $14,751,549 Sun Belt Conference
111th Southern Miss $14,472,618 Conference USA
112th Utah State $13,205,337 Western Athletic Conference
113th Troy $13,134,964 Sun Belt Conference
114th Idaho $12,896,488 Western Athletic Conference
115th Louisiana Tech $12,465,865 Western Athletic Conference
116th Louisiana-Lafayette $11,134,598 Sun Belt Conference
117th Arkansas State $10,456,754 Sun Belt Conference
118th Louisiana-Monroe $7,733,035 Sun Belt Conference

[SoonerLB]

Cause those wimp b***ards can't take getting their ***es whipped every year! CASE CLOSED!

[PLaw]

Cause those wimp b***ards can't take getting their ***es whipped every year! CASE CLOSED!

This could be scary: Nebbish & Mizzou go to the Big 10,11,16. Texas and eATMe head to the SEC. OU gets left in a no TV market wasteland.

Bummer

[Leroy Lizard]

Dear Mountain West,

Can we come over and play?

[Leroy Lizard]

PLaw, how does OSU rank above us in revenue?

[Collier11]

not possible

[gaylordfan1]

that was my question.

[Collier11]

Does that include donations?

[gaylordfan1]

Isn't A&M locked with Texas wherever they go?

I'm not worried. If Texas heads to the SEC we will too. I bet we are a package deal. The two schools bring too much to the table when we are together.

[Collier11]

I do not want to be a part of a super conference like that

[gaylordfan1]

Its sad the direction college football is going. But, we and everyone else will go where the money is.

[Collier11]

IF they go to super conferences, there has to be a playoff. Otherwise you will have 2 loss SEC teams going up against 0 and 1 loss teams of lesser conferences and the fighting will ensue

[gaylordfan1]

Very true. But, I hear thats the gold at the end of the rainbow for the big wigs.

[bluedogok]

Isn't A&M locked with Texas wherever they go?

Not necessarily, more than likely they would go together but I could see them splitting. It's a different landscape than when the SWC folded.

[Collier11]

perhaps

[Collier11]

Not necessarily, more than likely they would go together but I could see them splitting. It's a different landscape than when the SWC folded.

What he is talking about is that there is word that when the Big 12 was formed, ut and the aggies were a joint deal, contractually I think

[gaylordfan1]

^yes, thats what I've heard and read.

[bluedogok]

What he is talking about is that there is word that when the Big 12 was formed, ut and the aggies were a joint deal, contractually I think
Contractually on whose end? The Big 8 maybe, I'm sure they wanted both to add the other two teams. I think the Aggie legislators made their approval of UT moving contingent upon them going, then you had Lt. Gov. Bullock forcing Baylor on them to get legislative approval for UT and A&M to move. I think the politics at the legislature are a bit different now, I could see a possibility of them splitting but I don't think it is likely. I know quite a few Aggies who kind of favor splitting conference ties with UT as long as they keep their game against each other.

[Harry Beanbag]

Clemson? :confused:

[the_ouskull]

This could be scary: Nebbish & Mizzou go to the Big 10,11,16. Texas and eATMe head to the SEC. OU gets left in a no TV market wasteland.

Bummer

Or we do what we and Georgia threatened to do back in the day and pull a Notre Dame. Wait? Is that right? Crap. I hope so, I don't feel like fact-checking. Nancy Grace is on.

HA! Just kidding. She's not on until midnight. But seriously, I don't feel like fact-checking.

the_ouskull

[PLaw]

PLaw, how does OSU rank above us in revenue?

The article that compiled this data made a special note of that observation. It's all Sugar Daddy Boone - probably just a "one off" on the for his recent investment.

BOOMER

[PLaw]

Isn't A&M locked with Texas wherever they go?

I'm not worried. If Texas heads to the SEC we will too. I bet we are a package deal. The two schools bring too much to the table when we are together.

I'm not sure about that - we did very well in the Big 6 and later Big 8 while the t-sips were tearing up the SWC.

BOOMER

[PLaw]

What he is talking about is that there is word that when the Big 12 was formed, ut and the aggies were a joint deal, contractually I think


It was all Austin politico. Something about them both being state land grant schools and all of those West Texas University Consolidated oil leases??

[Sooner-N-KS]

PLaw, how does OSU rank above us in revenue?

T. Boone

[GottaHavePride]

Yeah, revenue numbers typically include donations.

[delhalew]

People underestimate our TV draw. So, if we bring low tv revenues would you want to get your *** kicked by the Sooners without getting a major payday?

I wonder if we were independent, what kind of TV deal we could get.

[PLaw]

People underestimate our TV draw. So, if we bring low tv revenues would you want to get your *** kicked by the Sooners without getting a major payday?

I wonder if we were independent, what kind of TV deal we could get.

Yeah, in our fish bowl, we are a big deal. But when you jump into the ocean - not so much. ND pulls it off because of the Catholic concentration in all TV markets. I'm doubtful it would work for any other school and I think NBC will strongly be rethinking that contract when it is time for renewal. At the end of the day, we have about as much of a chance at landing a network contract as I do of getting elected President.

Going it alone as an independent may be attractive to some. Likely, you would have three nationally televised games per year, the remainder of the games would not televised more the 250 miles from OKC, and then ask the non-BCS schools how difficult it is to get a big money bowl invite. Not sure how all of that feels.

Our best hope is to land in a conference that can command its own network similar to the Big 10, as well as a strong national TV contract like the SEC. That's why I strongly believe the Big XII - PAC 10 Western Alliance makes so much sense economically, as well as maintaining a strong recruiting pipeline.


BOOMER

[TXBOOMER]

PLaw, how does OSU rank above us in revenue?

T Booger Pick-ins

[rawlingsHOH]

This could be scary: Nebbish & Mizzou go to the Big 10,11,16. Texas and eATMe head to the SEC. OU gets left in a no TV market wasteland.

Bummer

lol

[rawlingsHOH]

PLaw, how does OSU rank above us in revenue?

that was just a one year shot. funded by a huge donation. most years they dont

[badger]

I really, really think that the Big Ten will expand on the east coast, not go farther west (unless Notre Dame finally gives up being indy). I also think that going to 14-16 teams is not as ideal as it originally sounded. Here's an interesting note on an ESPN blog:


One of the better articles on this issue came from Penn State assistant Jay Paterno, a guy who is never shy about voicing his opinion. He had some blunt words about the potential perils of Big Ten expansion:

There is no free lunch and there is a side effect of a big expansion to 14 or 16 teams. It will change this football conference. By splitting into two divisions of seven or more teams it will erode some cohesiveness and rivalries in the league. In the Big Ten the rivalries are defined and created on the football field. The intensity of the dislike between Michigan and Ohio State was born of the annual gridiron battles in late November. The hat that I got in the mail was a product of the football battles we've had with the Badgers over the years.

In a 12-team league you play five division games and three cross-division games. You see teams for two years and then three years later you play them again. With 14 teams -- and assuming that Wisconsin is in the other division -- the frequency with which we play them would decrease dramatically. In a 14-team league you would play six games within your division and two games against teams from the other division. After playing Wisconsin home and home in say 2014 and 2015, they would rotate off the schedule for either five or seven years. You would not see them until 2020 at the earliest. In a 16-team league the math is even worse. Teams would play seven division games and only one team from the other division. So after playing a team in 2014 and 2015 you would not see that team until 2030. Not a great way to keep rivalries going.


Link (http://insider.espn.go.com/ncf/blog?name=feldman_bruce&id=5207115)

That goes for other conferences, too. Think the SEC would mind if LSU didn't play Florida for 5-6 (or even up to 15) years because their conference alignments didn't line up right?

[soonervegas]

If it goes to 4-16 team superconferences OU will end up in one.

[RedstickSooner]

that was just a one year shot. funded by a huge donation. most years they dont

Actually, I'm fairly sure that figure is below his donation -- and that he designed his donation to be spread over a number of years. So their bogus inflated donor figures will remain bogus and inflated for some time to come.

[rawlingsHOH]

Yeah, in our fish bowl, we are a big deal. But when you jump into the ocean - not so much. ND pulls it off because of the Catholic concentration in all TV markets. I'm doubtful it would work for any other school and I think NBC will strongly be rethinking that contract when it is time for renewal. At the end of the day, we have about as much of a chance at landing a network contract as I do of getting elected President.

Going it alone as an independent may be attractive to some. Likely, you would have three nationally televised games per year, the remainder of the games would not televised more the 250 miles from OKC, and then ask the non-BCS schools how difficult it is to get a big money bowl invite. Not sure how all of that feels.

Our best hope is to land in a conference that can command its own network similar to the Big 10, as well as a strong national TV contract like the SEC. That's why I strongly believe the Big XII - PAC 10 Western Alliance makes so much sense economically, as well as maintaining a strong recruiting pipeline.


BOOMER

Ironic you bring this up. Unaware NBC approached OU about that exact thing, years back?


Oklahoma, not Notre Dame, was actually first approached by NBC with an offer to have its own network, Ward said, but there was a hitch in the deal.

"Oklahoma was the No. 1 Nielsen-rated school for three decades," he said. "We were the one they wanted but there was a little catch. We had to get out of the Big Eight, get a more intersectional schedule. If they had old Bob Stoops at the time, he would have said, 'Fine, bring them all on.'"

[prrriiide]

Ironic you bring this up. Unaware NBC approached OU about that exact thing, years back?


Oklahoma, not Notre Dame, was actually first approached by NBC with an offer to have its own network, Ward said, but there was a hitch in the deal.

"Oklahoma was the No. 1 Nielsen-rated school for three decades," he said. "We were the one they wanted but there was a little catch. We had to get out of the Big Eight, get a more intersectional schedule. If they had old Bob Stoops at the time, he would have said, 'Fine, bring them all on.'"

Things are different now. OU does not have that same cache that they had for 30 years. I wish we did, but it just ain't so.

My take on the situation is this:

Any conference that had a chance to snatch up OU and passed would be a damned fool conference. Why?

Because if you are outside of the state, and you say the word Oklahoma, most people immediately think "football." There are a precious few states that have that kind of sport identity. Bama, Nebbish, not many others come to mind immediately.

To pass up on a program that has become synonymous with college football would be idiocy of the highest level. To pass up on a program that has been to 11 consecutive bowls (with their conference payouts), 7 of them BCS berths (with their ENORMOUS conference payouts), and 4 of them NC games would be the epitome of stupidity.

No matter what happens to the Big 10/11, the SEC, the Pac10, or the BigXII, OU will come out of it just fine. There are too many people that equate college football with programs like OU to settle for anything less.

OU doesn't have the muscle for their own network contract anymore, but we are still one of the "made men" of college football. We've got the juice to land on our feet and scrape the osewes, ISUs, Baylors, and Coloradoes off of our boots.

Personally, I am hoping for an SEC berth. Living in Knoxville, it would mean being able to see my beloved Sooners on a somewhat regular basis.

[Dan Thompson]

We could go Independent.

[stoopified]

This could be scary: Nebbish & Mizzou go to the Big 10,11,16. Texas and eATMe head to the SEC. OU gets left in a no TV market wasteland.

BummerOU then goes independent,doesn't share money with anyone and rakes in the cash.

[Leroy Lizard]

Form up with Notre Dame, Army, and Navy and any other independents out there for scheduling purposes. Bring OSU in for the ride.

[KantoSooner]

IF (and it's a big 'if') this whole realignment goes down and goes down with the 16 team option ruling the day, then basically we've got two and only two 'good' options: SEC or some kind of wadged up P10 + B12 dealio. For football-ness, the SEC option would be better. The SEC and the B12 take college football more seriously than the rest of the nation. By about 10 orders of magnatude. It probably wouldn't be good for the game as whoever won that conference (expanded SEC) would simply destroy whoever else was kicked, screaming and crying with terror, into the Natl Championship game as a sacrificial lamb by the rest of the country.
A tie-up with the left coast, however, might work better for OU. Assuming Texas was part of the deal, we'd have the horns and, typically about 1-2 other teams to really worry about annually. We'd keep Texas as a recruiting ground and add to recent penetration into California....and we'd be one of 2 or 3 'big fish' in the resultant conference. One big downside: 6 teams or so out of the existing conferences would be hurled, unceremoniously, under the bus.
And everytime you do that, a little bit of your soul dies.

[Breadburner]

We are Doooomeddddddd....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[oumartin]

F'em all. We have enough dough from filling the stadium to keep Bobby and his assistants happy. Donors can pay the players and everyone else can kiss our @sses!


80,000 x an average of 50.00 a pop. = lots of money(x 6 or 7 home games per year)

Yep, my redneck math says we don't need no stinkin' conference b!tches!

[gaylordfan1]

because we're dat good yall.

[Soonermagik]

Wait for it... wait for it....

TV ratings. Texas tv market > Oklahoma market. More people = more tv ratings and money. That's why everyone wants Texas schools.

I think Missouri has drawn some interest, because they have a decent population and have good academics.

One or two teams may move around, but I doubt there will be a major shake-up.

[gaylordfan1]

Man I hope so. In the end we will end up ok IMO.

[TMcGee86]

Yeah, I've gone back and forth being worried we are screwed to thinking no way we get left out in the cold. But the more I think about it, the better I feel.

You have to look at it like this, lets say this article is true and SEC takes UT and not us. At that point, expansion will be full on, because the only way the SEC goes 16 is if the Big 10 went to 16, and if they both go to 16 it means it's game on, the era of superconferences is upon us and the Pac10 and ACC will follow suit.

So lets say the Big10 takes Nebbish and Missou and the SEC takes UT and A&M.

At that point the Pac10 will be looking to expand, they will naturally take Colorado as they have been talking this up for years and it's a natural fit, sissy hippy school with a mediocre football team.

So put yourself in the Pac10's shoes, you can either have someone like Boise State, a little school in the middle of nowhere that does not create much revenue but will be a challenging team to play, or you can have OU, a premiere team with tons of money and fans and an instant reputation boost to your conference.

No question you go OU. With Arizona and Colorado in the mix, Oklahoma isn't that far of a geographic hurdle anyway.

And here's the kicker, even if Texas leaves us they help us. Because of our history together and the fact that we would almost guaranteed to be continuing the RRS, by bringing in OU, you bring in UT for one game. And that one game is better than nothing, and it's something that no other program can give.

Couple that with our proximity to the state of Texas, and our recruiting base, and you allow Pac10 teams to have a foothold on Texas HS players that they never had before. And again, this is something that no other program could offer.


I think we will be fine. Even if the Pac10 somehow decided against us, if this all goes down, the Big East will be shot to ****, and all we would have to do is say "Hey, if you want to actually save your conference and can look past the travel schedule, what you say we combine the leftovers from both our conferences and create the fifth Superconference." Sure the travel is a bitch, but if you are facing the fact of being demoted to the equivalent of D 1.5 you are going to look past those types of issues.

[Mac94]

For those that were asking ... Texas and Texas A&M are NOT contracturally joined at the hip ... but we are in terms of history.

Basically, we could end up in different conferences but the polititians probably won;t allow one to make a move without the other being taken care of in some form or fashion.

Back in the ealry 1990's both took steps to split apart as Texas did have some talks with the Pac-10 and A&M had options with the SEC. But, politically, with a Baylor grad as governor and a powerful Lt. Governor with Texas Tech and Baylor ties those options were blocked in Austin by the politicians. UT and A&M were politically tied to Baylor and Tech which is why those two ended up in the Big-12.

Today, neither Baylor nor Tech have the political clout in Austin they once did ... esp Baylor. Governor Rick Perry is an A&M alum and UT and A&M have powerful lobbies in Austin. There is still a vocal West Texas lobby that might help Tech but demographics in the state minimizing that lobby quite a bit.

[Mac94]

As for OU's main problem, it is also one of demographics. Oklahoma is a powerful team but in a small population state. The current drive for reallignment is about TV market share of a conference and Oklahoma as a state does not bring much to the table. So, a conference would be bringing in a team that would immediately threaten the top dogs while not adding to the TV market footprint.

That said, I think that OU will end up okay. The Sooners are a national brand that will end up in either the Pac-10 or SEC once everything goes down. While the SEC is interested in Texas ... the vast majority here in Austin do not see the SEC as an option for the Horns. They really do not want to be tied to the SEC at all.

[Herr Scholz]

TV ratings. Texas tv market > Oklahoma market. More people = more tv ratings and money. That's why everyone wants Texas schools.

That and the recruiting base in Texas. OU will by fine in any case though.

[delhalew]

As for OU's main problem, it is also one of demographics. Oklahoma is a powerful team but in a small population state. The current drive for reallignment is about TV market share of a conference and Oklahoma as a state does not bring much to the table. So, a conference would be bringing in a team that would immediately threaten the top dogs while not adding to the TV market footprint.

That said, I think that OU will end up okay. The Sooners are a national brand that will end up in either the Pac-10 or SEC once everything goes down. While the SEC is interested in Texas ... the vast majority here in Austin do not see the SEC as an option for the Horns. They really do not want to be tied to the SEC at all.

Oklahoma turns on TV's, and the whorns already schedule like an SEC team.

[fadada1]

here's one (and it doesn't sound too far off from what they're doing/planning with super conferences)...;)

add 2 more 1A teams (yes, i said 1A) to make it an even 120, throw everyone's name into a hat, 10 conferences with 12 teams each, 11 game schedule with 1 out-of-conference game for traditional matchups, winner of each conference is placed into a playoff, top 4 teams in BCS rankings get a bye for round 1, round 2 higher ranked teams get a home game, re-seed after round 2, 1 v. 4; 2 v. 3 for final four. true national champion.

YWIA
:D

[Harry Beanbag]

Yeah, I've gone back and forth being worried we are screwed to thinking no way we get left out in the cold. But the more I think about it, the better I feel.

You have to look at it like this, lets say this article is true and SEC takes UT and not us. At that point, expansion will be full on, because the only way the SEC goes 16 is if the Big 10 went to 16, and if they both go to 16 it means it's game on, the era of superconferences is upon us and the Pac10 and ACC will follow suit.

So lets say the Big10 takes Nebbish and Missou and the SEC takes UT and A&M.

At that point the Pac10 will be looking to expand, they will naturally take Colorado as they have been talking this up for years and it's a natural fit, sissy hippy school with a mediocre football team.

So put yourself in the Pac10's shoes, you can either have someone like Boise State, a little school in the middle of nowhere that does not create much revenue but will be a challenging team to play, or you can have OU, a premiere team with tons of money and fans and an instant reputation boost to your conference.

No question you go OU. With Arizona and Colorado in the mix, Oklahoma isn't that far of a geographic hurdle anyway.

And here's the kicker, even if Texas leaves us they help us. Because of our history together and the fact that we would almost guaranteed to be continuing the RRS, by bringing in OU, you bring in UT for one game. And that one game is better than nothing, and it's something that no other program can give.

Couple that with our proximity to the state of Texas, and our recruiting base, and you allow Pac10 teams to have a foothold on Texas HS players that they never had before. And again, this is something that no other program could offer.


I think we will be fine. Even if the Pac10 somehow decided against us, if this all goes down, the Big East will be shot to ****, and all we would have to do is say "Hey, if you want to actually save your conference and can look past the travel schedule, what you say we combine the leftovers from both our conferences and create the fifth Superconference." Sure the travel is a bitch, but if you are facing the fact of being demoted to the equivalent of D 1.5 you are going to look past those types of issues.


This is JMO and remains to be proven, but Texas in the SEC and OU in the Pac-10 would be bad for OU recruiting wise. I would prefer the Pac-10 for us all things being equal, but OU to SEC and UT to Pac-10 would eventually put OU on at least level footing with the Horns in Texas recruiting.

[Harry Beanbag]

As for OU's main problem, it is also one of demographics. Oklahoma is a powerful team but in a small population state. The current drive for reallignment is about TV market share of a conference and Oklahoma as a state does not bring much to the table. So, a conference would be bringing in a team that would immediately threaten the top dogs while not adding to the TV market footprint.

That said, I think that OU will end up okay. The Sooners are a national brand that will end up in either the Pac-10 or SEC once everything goes down. While the SEC is interested in Texas ... the vast majority here in Austin do not see the SEC as an option for the Horns. They really do not want to be tied to the SEC at all.


If you were talking about Oklahoma State, you might have something. OU is a national program however, plus the Sooners would deliver DFW if nothing else. That's more people than most, if not all, of the current SEC schools can depend on.

[rawlingsHOH]

As for OU's main problem

OU has no problem. They'll write their own ticket.

[gaylordfan1]

If the Big 10 goes to 16 teams and Te*as goes to the SEC, then I think we will follow them there. Damn, if both of us go the the SEC, what a bit*h of a schedule that would be.

[delhalew]

I'm one who believes Texas ego will not allow them to join a conference were they can't play the role of top dog politically and monitarily.

[Jdog]

As for OU's main problem, it is also one of demographics. Oklahoma is a powerful team but in a small population state. The current drive for reallignment is about TV market share of a conference and Oklahoma as a state does not bring much to the table. So, a conference would be bringing in a team that would immediately threaten the top dogs while not adding to the TV market footprint.

That said, I think that OU will end up okay. The Sooners are a national brand that will end up in either the Pac-10 or SEC once everything goes down. While the SEC is interested in Texas ... the vast majority here in Austin do not see the SEC as an option for the Horns. They really do not want to be tied to the SEC at all.

Don't know that I buy that argument as much as I use to. Sooners are a brand that have people turning on their TVs from SO CAL to FLA (if they had the choice). Have you been to the Metroplex? it' 30% aggie, 30% Horn and 30% Sooner fans -the other 10% are a combination of OSU, TT, CU and LSU.

[SoonerShark]

Nobody wants OU? Could it be serial NCAA penalties in football and basketball? Of course, if we were that eternally bad why would Nebraska's Tom Osborne be so supportive of Barry Switzer's legacy? Osborne suffered most from Barry Switzer's Sooner team success from 1973-88. Take away the Sooner wins over Nebraska in that era and Osborne is the greatest coach of all times with perhaps four more championships.

[TMcGee86]

Don't know that I buy that argument as much as I use to. Sooners are a brand that have people turning on their TVs from SO CAL to FLA (if they had the choice). Have you been to the Metroplex? it' 30% aggie, 30% Horn and 30% Sooner fans -the other 10% are a combination of OSU, TT, CU and LSU.

I wouldn't even put aggie at 30%. To be honest I see as many aggy fans as I do aggies. And it's def 50/50 whorns/sooners. I was at Buffett this weekend in Frisco and I saw way more soonerfans than I did whorns. At least a 3-1 ratio.

[SoonerObsession]

If OU was in the SEC I would refuse to chant "S.E.C." whenever we win championships. That is all.

[soonerboomer93]

I wouldn't even put aggie at 30%. To be honest I see as many aggy fans as I do aggies. And it's def 50/50 whorns/sooners. I was at Buffett this weekend in Frisco and I saw way more soonerfans than I did whorns. At least a 3-1 ratio.

All the aggies are in Houston and South Texas.

heck, a few years ago there was such an out cry after the Dallas ABC station picked up another game during an OU blow out that OU is now protected in the market.

[cheezyq]

PLaw, how does OSU rank above us in revenue?

Booger Pickens