Big 12 officers have remained intent on report that Oklahoma and Texas will stay within the convention via the 2024 season as scheduled earlier than departing for the SEC, however momentum for an early exit for the Sooners and Longhorns is reportedly rising behind the scenes. The Big 12 and the longtime rival establishments engaged in current conversations a few path that would enable Oklahoma and Texas to go away for their new residence a yr early, which might make the upcoming 2023 soccer season the final within the Big 12 for the league’s two largest manufacturers, multiple reports stated.
The Dallas Morning News reports that the Oklahoma and Texas entered discussions with the Big 12 relating to a possible expedited exit in late October, and that these discussions “intensified” close to Thanksgiving. Big 12 athletic administrators have been then given what The News reported as an “informative download” on the place issues stand with the Sooners and Longhorns earlier within the month throughout a gathering in Las Vegas, Nevada. Sports Illustrated, CBS Sports and The Athletic additionally reported a shift in conversations relating to the 2 sides.
A negotiated buyout — Big 12 exit charges are reportedly estimated within the ballpark of $84-90 million — would presumably be the following step so as to make an early exit doable for Oklahoma and Texas.
Oklahoma and Texas, in summer season of 2021, introduced their intentions to go away the Big 12 for the SEC no later than 2025 in a transfer that set off the most recent wave of convention realignment. Beyond the SEC and Big 12, motion within the American Athletic Conference and Conference USA has since occurred as direct domino impact of the SEC determination by the 2 faculties.
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Another main realignment domino fell this previous June when USC and UCLA introduced they would depart the Pac-12 for the Big Ten in 2024. That transfer places the Big Ten at 16 faculties, with the SEC set to have the identical depend as soon as Oklahoma and Texas be part of. An early departure for the Sooners and Longhorns would give the 2 leagues a fair depend on the identical timeline.
TV offers are additionally value noting. The Big Ten not too long ago agreed to a record-setting media rights deal involving a number of networks, and the Big 12 reportedly reached an extension with its current media rights deal involving Fox and ESPN. The SEC beforehand reached an unique media rights cope with ESPN that can go into impact for the 2024 season.
Neither Oklahoma or Texas made the Big 12 Championship Game in 2022, and Oklahoma particularly struggled en route to a 6-6 report in coach Brent Venables’ first season on the helm. Texas, in the meantime, improved from a report of 5-7 final yr to 8-4 this fall however nonetheless fell one sport in need of making the convention title sport.
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