Things just went from weird to weirder.
Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe conducted a press conference indicating that the buyout money from Nebraska and Colorado would not be distributed between the remaining 10 schools but instead go to Texas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma.
The Big 12 bylaws say that money would be distributed evenly but Beebe says they will do otherwise. Here's Beebe, in his own words:
"Those five (Kansas, Kansas State, Iowa State, Baylor and Missouri) were willing to hold out -- this hasn't been completed yet [because] there's a lot of last-minute scrambling - but part of their thinking is that we'll hold out the distribution [money] that would have gone to us (the Big 12 conference) from those member institutions and use that to help Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Texas hopefully stay in the conference."
Translation: We'll give the Nebraska and Colorado buyout money -- reported to be in the $20 million range -- to Texas, Texas A&M and Oklahoma to convince them to stay in the conference.
And what does Missouri AD Mike Alden think about that?
"Let me nip that one right in the butt. There is no accuracy to that whatsoever."
Uh...Dan Beebe says it is. The Associated Press wrote about the story. The Kansas City Star, too. ESPN, SI. Everyone knew what Dan Beebe said.
Alden, however, says he had not heard that.
"None of us in our league would believe that because we believe our bylaws."
"Money that comes into the conference is shaped by conference policy and it's the board of directors that will determine what happens to any money coming into the conference."
Considering the way Missouri officials and Beebe have conducted themselves throughout this process -- or at least the perception of the way they've conducted themselves -- I think this is par for the course. We'll keep updating with more from the Missouri press conference.
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If both sides are telling the truth
I wonder if this again changes the plans of the 3 south schools. If they had agreed to stay with the big 12 as long as they were compensated by the remaining schools, and now MU comes out and says that’s not going to happen, does this change the big 3’s decision?
by Chiefs n Chopper on Jun 15, 2010 5:44 PM CDT reply actions
Maybe it's miscommunication
But Mizzou doesn’t have a choice in any of this, sadly. If they didn’t like it, what are they going to do?
Arrowhead Pride
SBNation.com/NFL
by Joel Thorman on Jun 15, 2010 5:51 PM CDT up reply actions
And I think that's been MU's point from the start
Texas has too much control of the conference, and the only way to balance that out is through equal revenue sharing. MU tries to bring this up, the conference almost implodes, and Texas is then rewarded with even more money.
Yes, it looks like all teams remaining in the conference benefit from the estimated new TV deal (which still isn’t official), but the team that gains the most is Texas, and as a bonus, is given NU and CU’s distribution money (split 3-ways with OU and Texas A&M).
It’s a structure like this that lead to the near collapse of the league, and rather than correcting it, the league is making it worse. Absolutely ridiculous, but like you said, what are all the other’s going to do? It’s a lose-lose situation.
by Chiefs n Chopper on Jun 15, 2010 6:00 PM CDT up reply actions
Sounds like Tech may have (or had) an option
Which is the Pac-10 (maybe, supposedly, rumored, etc)..and that’s part of the reason they held this thing up today.
They’re getting the $2 million originally agreed upon (or per the bylaws, actually) and TX, A&M and OU are getting what equates to $5.3 million.
Translation: I’m going to save these articles because we’ll probably be going through the same thing at some point in the near future.
Arrowhead Pride
SBNation.com/NFL
by Joel Thorman on Jun 15, 2010 6:04 PM CDT up reply actions
At some point I would put comfort above money
I think right now MU, KU, K-State, and Iowa-State feel lucky that the Bus didn’t actually hit us. I began to think of the Non-money sports. None of the options were like the Big-12, Does Lacrosse, and Hockey fit if we give up Baseball and Softball. Myself I am worrying less about who gets what now and what a lot less means in other possible scenarios
Rule 49. " Think and talk positive football off the field." Hank Stram
by Steve_Chiefs on Jun 15, 2010 9:30 PM CDT up reply actions
Good point
Yes we have to give up a lot now, and should feel lucky that we didn’t get left behind. I’m just afraid that this is going to be one of the reasons that the Big 12 won’t succeed for long. Eventually, these teams that are giving up so much now are going to get tired of having to give so much when it’s obvious Texas doesn’t, and then they’ll try again to leave for greener pastures.
by Chiefs n Chopper on Jun 15, 2010 9:35 PM CDT up reply actions
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