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Post by bbg95 on Feb 3, 2023 12:16:25 GMT -5
It's been a while, but Pete Thamel among others is reporting that Texas and Oklahoma won't join the SEC until 2025. This is what I expected. It always made sense why Texas and Oklahoma and the SEC would be interested in an early entrance, but it never made much sense for the Big 12, FOX and even ESPN (it doesn't really affect them much, since they share the Big 12's rights anyway). The path of least resistance was always the most likely. A deal is still theoretically possible, but it seems that Texas and Oklahoma have finally realized that it will be so expensive that just waiting out the last two years may be the best option. ESPN gets more OU/TX content in the SEC - specifically in football - and they get out of their LHN deal, which was always a loss leader. Fox is a bigger problem than the Big 12 schools. It’s also an indication of how big a loss OU/TX will be in terms of TV rights. The amount to make up that loss - even for a single season - was simply too much to overcome. 2024 was always the real goal on the Texas side. There was a lot of work put into making that happen. The problem was making the exit affordable for OU. Apparently they weren’t able to do it, which is unfortunate. It will be particularly nice for the new schools if they can grab a home game from either OU, or Texas, or both. Regardless of how competitive those two schools are on the actual football field, their name brand will make them circled dates on the calendar regardless. BYU in particular has a history of absolutely embarrassing the Longhorns in Provo. In any case, this is highly disappointing to me. I hope something changes, although I don’t know what it would be. I agree that FOX was the biggest sticking point, which is what is being reported in article's like Thamel's. I'm sure ESPN would be happy to have Texas and Oklahoma a year earlier, but I don't think they were willing to really shell out for it. It's not like there will be a shortage of good SEC football games in 2024.
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Post by bbg95 on Feb 3, 2023 12:23:24 GMT -5
I agree that it was always unlikely, but that didn't stop Texas and Oklahoma fans from insisting that an earlier exit was more likely than not. Hehe hear you on that. To an extent, I kind of wanted it to happen just to see how this group of OU softball players would do in the SEC. I'm sure they'd still do very well, but maybe not six hitters hitting above .400 well. It's not like Oklahoma softball has struggled much in the tournament the last couple of seasons, and the Big 12 was very strong at the top, with three of the four semifinalists in Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas. Not as much depth as the SEC, though, that's true.
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Post by slxpress on Feb 3, 2023 12:25:19 GMT -5
ESPN gets more OU/TX content in the SEC - specifically in football - and they get out of their LHN deal, which was always a loss leader. Fox is a bigger problem than the Big 12 schools. It’s also an indication of how big a loss OU/TX will be in terms of TV rights. The amount to make up that loss - even for a single season - was simply too much to overcome. 2024 was always the real goal on the Texas side. There was a lot of work put into making that happen. The problem was making the exit affordable for OU. Apparently they weren’t able to do it, which is unfortunate. It will be particularly nice for the new schools if they can grab a home game from either OU, or Texas, or both. Regardless of how competitive those two schools are on the actual football field, their name brand will make them circled dates on the calendar regardless. BYU in particular has a history of absolutely embarrassing the Longhorns in Provo. In any case, this is highly disappointing to me. I hope something changes, although I don’t know what it would be. I agree that FOX was the biggest sticking point, which is what is being reported in article's like Thamel's. I'm sure ESPN would be happy to have Texas and Oklahoma a year earlier, but I don't think they were willing to really shell out for it. It's not like there will be a shortage of good SEC football games in 2024. ESPN already started shelling out for it when they paid above market rate for OU’s tier 3 content, buying it from Fox. They have over $20m in savings to play with to get out of the LHN deal. In addition, Texas was willing to overpay to some extent simply to move on. It’s Fox and OU that are the big sticking points. In the end it’s only money, but the sums were too large to come to an agreement. Again, I’m disappointed. There was a big commitment on the Texas side to get this done.
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Post by bbg95 on Feb 3, 2023 12:32:52 GMT -5
This fall, Oklahoma plays at Cincinnati and BYU. Texas plays at Houston. So only UCF doesn't get a home game against either. And now with a second season either the Big 12 simply goes home and away, so BYU gets a home game against Texas, or they spread the wealth and get UCF in on the action. I'm guessing UCF will get a home game against either Texas or Oklahoma. Over on the BYU message board, some think that in the interest of fairness, BYU might not play either next year because they're playing both this year (hosting Oklahoma and playing at Texas). However, I think BYU versus Texas or Oklahoma is an attractive matchup for the TV partners who are the ones who really call the shots these days. So I think Texas making a trip to Provo in 2024 is pretty likely.
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Post by slxpress on Feb 3, 2023 12:36:23 GMT -5
And now with a second season either the Big 12 simply goes home and away, so BYU gets a home game against Texas, or they spread the wealth and get UCF in on the action. I'm guessing UCF will get a home game against either Texas or Oklahoma. Over on the BYU message board, some think that in the interest of fairness, BYU might not play either next year because they're playing both this year (hosting Oklahoma and playing at Texas). However, I think BYU versus Texas or Oklahoma is an attractive matchup for the TV partners who are the ones who really call the shots these days. So I think Texas making a trip to Provo in 2024 is pretty likely. I’m all in favor of a trip to Provo about as much as Custer’s replacement wanted to head to Little Big Horn as soon as possible.
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Post by slxpress on Feb 3, 2023 12:38:57 GMT -5
I'm guessing UCF will get a home game against either Texas or Oklahoma. Over on the BYU message board, some think that in the interest of fairness, BYU might not play either next year because they're playing both this year (hosting Oklahoma and playing at Texas). However, I think BYU versus Texas or Oklahoma is an attractive matchup for the TV partners who are the ones who really call the shots these days. So I think Texas making a trip to Provo in 2024 is pretty likely. I’m all in favor of a trip to Provo about as much as Custer’s replacement wanted to head to Little Big Horn as soon as possible. Having said that, volleyball is a different story. I’m very excited about home and away with BYU in volleyball. They’ll likely be my most anticipated matches of the conference seasons.
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Post by hipsterfilth on Feb 3, 2023 12:38:57 GMT -5
Hehe hear you on that. To an extent, I kind of wanted it to happen just to see how this group of OU softball players would do in the SEC. I'm sure they'd still do very well, but maybe not six hitters hitting above .400 well. You say that like there’s going to be a drop off. OU has built another all star team. The coach tweets put what she’s looking for, and lo and behold the best players in the country at that position enter the portal. In a partial scholarship sport OU’s NIL in softball currently runs circles around the rest of the country. If you’re wanting to see how they’ll fare in the SEC, you’ll get to find out how their equivalents will do. I assume by then the programs that value softball will have an NIL system that better competes with the Sooners, but until then ain’t nothing changing about their dominance. For sure. Patty Gasso runs circles around other NIL programs. There’s been at least two confirmed instances of current OU players just DMing other plays on IG being like “Omg Patty loves your swing, thinks you’re such a good hitter” or things like that basically just signaling “If you would enter the portal, we’d take you.” It’s insane. This year’s team has undefeated potential.
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Post by bbg95 on Feb 3, 2023 12:39:39 GMT -5
I agree that FOX was the biggest sticking point, which is what is being reported in article's like Thamel's. I'm sure ESPN would be happy to have Texas and Oklahoma a year earlier, but I don't think they were willing to really shell out for it. It's not like there will be a shortage of good SEC football games in 2024. ESPN already started shelling out for it when they paid above market rate for OU’s tier 3 content, buying it from Fox. They have over $20m in savings to play with to get out of the LHN deal. In addition, Texas was willing to overpay to some extent simply to move on. It’s Fox and OU that are the big sticking points. In the end it’s only money, but the sums were too large to come to an agreement. Again, I’m disappointed. There was a big commitment on the Texas side to get this done. I agree that it's about money, and the price was too high. Disappointment, I understand. But not surprise. To be fair, I'm not sure if this surprises you.
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Post by bbg95 on Feb 3, 2023 12:40:24 GMT -5
I'm guessing UCF will get a home game against either Texas or Oklahoma. Over on the BYU message board, some think that in the interest of fairness, BYU might not play either next year because they're playing both this year (hosting Oklahoma and playing at Texas). However, I think BYU versus Texas or Oklahoma is an attractive matchup for the TV partners who are the ones who really call the shots these days. So I think Texas making a trip to Provo in 2024 is pretty likely. I’m all in favor of a trip to Provo about as much as Custer’s replacement wanted to head to Little Big Horn as soon as possible. I just looked it up. Somewhat amazingly, BYU football is 6-1 all time against Texas (4-1) and Oklahoma (2-0).
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Post by slxpress on Feb 3, 2023 12:43:11 GMT -5
You say that like there’s going to be a drop off. OU has built another all star team. The coach tweets put what she’s looking for, and lo and behold the best players in the country at that position enter the portal. In a partial scholarship sport OU’s NIL in softball currently runs circles around the rest of the country. If you’re wanting to see how they’ll fare in the SEC, you’ll get to find out how their equivalents will do. I assume by then the programs that value softball will have an NIL system that better competes with the Sooners, but until then ain’t nothing changing about their dominance. For sure. Patty Gasso runs circles around other NIL programs. There’s been at least two confirmed instances of current OU players just DMing other plays on IG being like “Omg Patty loves your swing, thinks you’re such a good hitter” or things like that basically just signaling “If you would enter the portal, we’d take you.” It’s insane. This year’s team has undefeated potential. Yep. My point being the SEC is a better conference overall, and OU is still going to run through it like poop through a goose. They’re just operating on a higher frequency than anyone else. Then you have the softball world series as a MAJOR event in Norman every year. The community’s commitment to fielding the best softball program in the country dwarfs everyone else. And Gasso is taking every advantage of that.
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Post by slxpress on Feb 3, 2023 12:47:50 GMT -5
ESPN already started shelling out for it when they paid above market rate for OU’s tier 3 content, buying it from Fox. They have over $20m in savings to play with to get out of the LHN deal. In addition, Texas was willing to overpay to some extent simply to move on. It’s Fox and OU that are the big sticking points. In the end it’s only money, but the sums were too large to come to an agreement. Again, I’m disappointed. There was a big commitment on the Texas side to get this done. I agree that it's about money, and the price was too high. Disappointment, I understand. But not surprise. To be fair, I'm not sure if this surprises you. Sure it does. Texas was fully committed to getting this done. Everyone I’ve talked to felt confident we’d get to some kind of agreement. From your perspective it doesn’t seem surprising. From my perspective I don’t understand why I’m supposed to have your perspective. The folks I’ve been talking to are worth hundreds of millions of dollars apiece. If they say we’re going to get this done there’s no part of me that’s going to be, “but whatabout Fox? Are they going to let my people go?” Yes, I’m surprised.
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Post by Norah Sus on Feb 3, 2023 12:51:45 GMT -5
I never remember this info after their previous season ends, so forget who to expect where. Is there a post or thread with a breakdown/summary of the schools shifting this year? (I can and will go through and read it all; but figured I’d ask in case someone is keeping track in a list or whatever)
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Post by bbg95 on Feb 3, 2023 12:54:25 GMT -5
I agree that it's about money, and the price was too high. Disappointment, I understand. But not surprise. To be fair, I'm not sure if this surprises you. Sure it does. Texas was fully committed to getting this done. Everyone I’ve talked to felt confident we’d get to some kind of agreement. From your perspective it doesn’t seem surprising. From my perspective I don’t understand why I’m supposed to have your perspective. The folks I’ve been talking to are worth hundreds of millions of dollars apiece. If they say we’re going to get this done there’s no part of me that’s going to be, “but whatabout Fox? Are they going to let my people go?” Yes, I’m surprised. Fair enough. I think you may have been too close to the situation. I'm sure if it was just up to Texas, it would get done. But it's not like it was unknown that FOX would object to it, that Oklahoma isn't as wealthy as Texas, and that the Big 12 would demand a very high price.
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bluepenquin
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Post by bluepenquin on Feb 3, 2023 12:57:08 GMT -5
B12 Volleyball next year - any word on the conference schedule? 13 teams - I assume they will not play a 26 game conference season. They shouldn't play 20 games - it should be 18 if they are smart. There will be some teams that will only play once. I am surprised that a deal couldn't be worked out for TX/OU to leave after 2023. I always felt that the B12 could be made 'whole'. ESPN would rather the move occur earlier than later. It was how to compensate FOX that I felt would be the major stumbling block. I didn't think about OU also being an issue. Dennis Dodd's latest on the failed attempt for OU/TX to leave (and time is running out) - and what Gonzaga might do (Yorkman wants them as a Basketball only addition to the B12). And that SDSU is an option for the B12 (I have a hard time seeing that one). www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/national-signing-day-2023-south-carolina-arizona-state-among-winners-as-pac-12-powers-miss-on-key-targets/
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Post by slxpress on Feb 3, 2023 12:58:09 GMT -5
Sure it does. Texas was fully committed to getting this done. Everyone I’ve talked to felt confident we’d get to some kind of agreement. From your perspective it doesn’t seem surprising. From my perspective I don’t understand why I’m supposed to have your perspective. The folks I’ve been talking to are worth hundreds of millions of dollars apiece. If they say we’re going to get this done there’s no part of me that’s going to be, “but whatabout Fox? Are they going to let my people go?” Yes, I’m surprised. Fair enough. I think you may have been too close to the situation. I'm sure if it was just up to Texas, it would get done. But it's not like it was unknown that FOX would object to it, that Oklahoma isn't as wealthy as Texas, and that the Big 12 would demand a very high price. I don’t know whether I’m too close or not. What I do know is that I’m wrong, and it’s disappointing to me. It happens. It’s easy to be right in hindsight. You guessed right on this one. Congratulations. I don’t know what else you’re expecting.
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