SB Nation Kansas City - Pac-12 Expansion: Missouri Tigers Are Reportedly On Conference's Radar, Texas Longhorns Not Done Dealhttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48935/kc-fave.png2011-09-21T09:20:05-05:00http://kansascity.sbnation.com/rss/stream/21984252011-09-21T09:20:05-05:002011-09-21T09:20:05-05:00Pac-12's Preference For Status Quo May Have Given The Big 12 New Life
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<img alt="Dan Beebe, Big 12 Commissioner" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/CV17M7If-V-sTfupCO4ZpbqIhqA=/5x0:394x259/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/assets/722270/CJOYDZNHHMCRYBP_20110413180557.jpg" />
<figcaption>Dan Beebe, Big 12 Commissioner</figcaption>
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<p>A decision by the Pac-12 Conference not to make any membership changes at this time could breathe new life into the Big 12, but not without some major changes of its own.</p> <p>Just a day after it seemed certain that <a href="http://www.soonersports.com">Oklahoma</a> and <a href="http://www.okstate.com">Oklahoma State </a>were headed West, and were working to take <a href="http://www.texasssports.com">Texas</a> and <a href="http://www.redraiders.com">Texas Tech </a>with them to be part of the Pac-12 Conference, chancellors and presidents of the Pac-12 have sent a message: Not so fast.</p>
<p>The Pac-12 announced late Tuesday that it is not interested in expanding at this time. Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said, "After careful review, we have determined that it is in the best interests of our member institutions, student athletes and fans to remain a 12-team conference."</p>
<p>A source close to the situation at Oklahoma told the <i>Daily Oklahoman</i> in Oklahoma City Monday that negotiations with the Pac-12 were not as far along as the media had been intimating. The source said Oklahoma would be willing to remain in and work hard for the future of the <a href="http://www.big12sports.com">Big 12</a>, but only if certain critical reforms were enacted. Prominent among the reforms that the Sooners reportedly are insisting upon is the removal of Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe, as well as restrictions on the University of Texas' Longhorn Network. These two reform areas are believed to have strong support from others in the Big 12 as well.</p>
<p>"We were not surprised by the Pac-12's decision to not expand at this time," <a href="http://newsok.com/pac-12-stays-put-limiting-options-for-ou-and-osu/article/3606252?custom_click=lead_story_title">Oklahoma president David Boren said </a>in a statement issued by OU after learning of Tuesday's decision by that conference's leadership."</p>
<p>While the door to joining the Pac-12 appears to be closed for Oklahoma and other interested schools at this time, Boren's comments indicated that this is still a very viable option for the Sooners in the future.</p>
<p> "Even though we had decided not to apply for membership this year, we have developed a positive relationship with the leadership of the (Pac-12) conference, and we have kept them informed of the progress we've been making to gain agreement from the Big 12 for changes which will make the conference more stable in the future," the OU president said.</p>
<p>"While we have great respect for all the institutions that have contacted us and certain expansions proposals were financially attractive," the Pac-12's Scott said, "we have a strong conference structure and culture of equality that we are committed to preserve."</p>
<p>It is unclear, but Scott's reference to a "culture of equality" may have said something about Texas' willingness to make concessions regarding its Longhorn Network.</p>
<p>"Conference stability has been our first goal, and we look forward to achieving that goal through continued membership in the Big 12 Conference," Boren said, which is a sharp departure from what OU's chief administrator has been quoted as saying in recent days.</p>
<p>According to the <i>Daily Oklahoman's</i> source, Oklahoma is not the only Big 12 institution that is displeased with Beebe. League presidents do not believe Beebe handled the situations with Nebraska and Texas A&M appropriately and that his actions were void of the leadership expected of someone in his position, the source said, adding that they also are displeased with the commissioners perceived concessions to officials at Texas.</p>
<p>The source said Oklahoma is only willing to remain in a reformed Big 12. This would include important changes to the Longhorn Network. The major points of disagreement with Texas' newly launched TV network, a joint project in conjunction with ESPN, are a reported agreement with Fox Sports to move a conference game to the Longhorn Network, and the network's recently announced decision to broadcast highlights from Texas high school games even after the Big 12 leadership voted to prohibit the Longhorn Network from broadcasting high school games live.</p>
<p>While this turn of developments was occurring with Oklahoma, et. al and the Pac-12, it also was reported on Tuesday that officials of the SEC had reached out to <a href="http://www.mutigers.com">Missouri </a>and extended an informal offer contingent on the future of the Big 12.</p>
<p>And the beat goes on and on. The Board of Curators at <a href="http://www.mutigers.com">Missouri</a> and the <a href="http://www.kuathletics.com">Kansas</a> Board of Regents are scheduled to meet this week, and conference realignment is on both agendas.</p>
<p>This story has picked up so much steam that you almost need a program to keep up with all the action. Now if only there would be some substance.</p>
<p><i>Make sure to check out SB Nation's coverage of further <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football">college football expansion here</a>.</i></p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/2011/9/21/2439978/pac-12s-preference-for-status-quo-may-have-given-the-big-12-new-lifeChip Rouse2011-09-19T12:36:01-05:002011-09-19T12:36:01-05:00Pac-12 Expansion: Missouri Tigers Are Reportedly On Conference's Radar, Texas Longhorns Not Done Deal
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<p>It comes as a simple statement from Jon Wilner of The College Hotline, but it’s a major statement nonetheless. "Source: Pac-12 has Missouri on its radar," read <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/wilnerhotline/status/115688222662725632" target="new">Wilner’s Twitter feed</a> today and this comes after he also recently reported that the conference <a href="http://blogs.mercurynews.com/collegesports/" target="new">does not have a deal finished with Texas</a>. If anything, it’s clear that every piece of property in the Big 12 is going somewhere and no one is quite sure how it will all fall into place.</p>
<p>The Pac-12 is definitely going to enfold some members of the Big 12. There’s simply too much smoke for there not to be a legitimate fire there. Plus the conference has already added Colorado, and with such prime selections available, the conference does not want to miss out on the potential cashcows involved in names like Oklahoma, Texas and the like.</p>
<p>Missouri is the latest name and would represent a major shift eastward for the Pac-12. Colorado made sense, but now things are really stretching geographically. That’s three time zones the conference would cover, which really doesn’t make any sense. Perhaps it’s Mizzou doing some legwork on its end to see which conference fits best, but the <span class="caps">SEC</span> rumors make the most sense for the Tigers should the Big 12 collapse.</p>
<p>As for Texas, Wilner notes that there’s a lot of discussions still to be had despite any rumors to the contrary. Nothing is set in stone yet and both sides are going to have to give in a bit to make something work. That’s not a position that the Longhorns are used to, so anything is still possible at this point.</p>
<p><i>Make sure to check out conference expansion updates over at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football">SB Nation's college football home</a>.</i></p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/kansas-jayhawks/2011/9/19/2435702/pac-12-expansion-missouri-tigers-are-reportedly-on-conferences-radarMatt Conner2011-09-18T20:52:23-05:002011-09-18T20:52:23-05:00Pac-12 Expansion: Conference Reportedly Trying To Add Oklahoma Sooners And Texas Longhorns
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<p>Both Oklahoma and Texas enjoy national prominence in football and a strong overall athletic presence with solid markets for both recruiting and promotion. Thus, they are prime targets for conferences looking to expand, something that <span class="caps">E</span><a target="_blank" href="http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/6989288/pac-12-working-deal-texas-oklahoma-oklahoma-state-texas-tech-according-source"><span class="caps">ESPN</span> is reporting the Pac-12 is hoping to do</a>. Remember that the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/colorado-buffaloes">Colorado Buffaloes</a> already went Westward to join the conference for this calendar year, and now some familiar faces might be joining them.</p>
<p>The problem with Texas joining any major conference has been the formation of their own television network and the tremendous influence and power the school wields toward those around it. The Big 12 has recently been bashed in the media for its self-centeredness versus the shared sense of authority by conferences like the Big Ten or the <span class="caps">SEC</span>. However, the Pac-12 is reportedly working on ways to get around that.</p>
<p>There are two reports conflicting one another at this time, although neither dispel this particular rumor. Instead, it concerns the timing. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/136050/larry-scott">Larry Scott</a>, the commissioner of the Pac-12, has already said the revamping of the collegiate landscape is coming faster than anticipated. However, Andy Katz at <span class="caps">ESPN</span> has a source that says this could take a while. Notice that neither one can dispute the idea that both powerful schools could join the Pac-12.</p>
<p>More reports are bound to come out one way or the other as the work week unfolds, but it’s interesting to hear Texas’ name come up in discussions rather than possibly going independent as some have predicted.</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/kansas-jayhawks/2011/9/18/2434398/pac-12-expansion-conference-reportedly-trying-to-add-oklahoma-soonersMatt Conner2011-09-17T13:48:31-05:002011-09-17T13:48:31-05:00Pac-12 Realignment: Commissioner Larry Scott Says 'Faster Timetable Than Anticipated'
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<p>All of the smoke indicates a fire when it comes to conference realignments and expansions. </p> <p>Syracuse and Pittsburgh are petitioning the ACC for entrance. Iowa State and Baylor are writing the Big East about joining. Texas A&M is moving to the SEC. The Big 12 is scrambling for some semblance of a structure and the Big Ten is enjoying the addition of Nebraska this year. The Pac-12 is only one of several conferences currently undergoing severe shifts (or considering them) and commissioner <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/136050/larry-scott">Larry Scott</a> says the changes are coming even faster than predicted.</p>
<p>Sportswriter <a target="_blank" href="http://twitter.com/#!/kbohls/status/115132902186037250">Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman talked with Scott today</a> and said via Twitter, "Pac12 commish Larry Scott tells me "it looks like a faster timetable than I would have anticipated" about realignment." The Pac-12 is sitting pretty among the NCAA landscape considering it's liable to not only survive but thrive in the new power structures that seem to be coming quicker than ever.</p>
<p>That's because the Pac-12 could potentially add Midwestern powers like Oklahoma and Oklahoma State to its expanding structure. The talks have already begun to take place, at least in terms of the Oklahoma-based schools checking out their options. Both schools have been quite public about their open eyes toward the horizon of the future of NCAA athletics, and it wouldn't surprise anyone to see the Big 12 completely collapse. In that case. both schools would need a future home and the Pac-12 is the most likely.</p>
<p>Since it's coming sooner than later, expect more and more news to emerge about not only what could happen but when. Either way, it's likely the next two to three years in college athletics are going to be more about change than any other time in recent history.</p>
https://kansascity.sbnation.com/missouri-tigers/2011/9/17/2431506/pac-12-realignment-commissioner-larry-scott-says-faster-timetableMatt Conner