What latest Oklahoma, Texas conference realignment news means to FSU, USF

Thursday evening’s news that Oklahoma and Texas will go away the Big 12 for the SEC in time for the 2024 season has apparent impacts on Florida school soccer. The Gators are lower than 17 months away from being in the identical league as two extra marquee manufacturers. UCF, in the meantime, is not going to get a go to from the Sooners or Longhorns as their Big 12 colleagues.

But the ripple results of this replace (and different current conference realignment rumblings) are way more fascinating and necessary. Here are three ideas on the latest realignment news:

Of the 14 groups that have won a national title since 1992, 11 are present/future members of both the SEC or Big Ten. The three exceptions: Florida State, Miami and Clemson.

As the highest of the Power Five consolidates into the Power Two, the Seminoles and Hurricanes are on the surface trying in. ACC colleges are certain collectively by way of a grant of rights. Legally, it means that colleges grant the TV rights to their house video games to the conference, which then distributes TV income again to the groups. Practically, it means colleges would forfeit a lot cash by leaving that they’re caught. For FSU and Miami, that means remaining within the ACC (with its weak TV payouts) till the deal expires in 2036 — which is perpetually on this panorama.

But Texas and Oklahoma simply negotiated their approach out of the Big 12′s settlement a 12 months early. The value is a combined $100 million “in foregone distributable revenues, which OU and UT will be able to partially offset with future revenues.”

That seems like loads. But giving up a (partially offset) $50 million every in future income is healthier than the $90 million or so they may have been on the hook for, according to The Athletic.

Though the ACC’s grant of rights isn’t public, it’s honest to assume that breaking it will value considerably greater than that. But Texas and Oklahoma present it’s potential to discover and pay for an escape. And finally, the associated fee for FSU and Miami to pursue their very own exit technique might be a greater monetary determination than remaining outdoors the Power Two.

Sports Illustrated reported the Big 12 is expected to “aggressively pursue” enlargement now that the exits of Texas and Oklahoma have been finalized. So who?

USF was mentioned as an possibility within the final wave however missed the lower. Instead, UCF, Houston, BYU and Cincinnati will transfer up this summer time. Since that call was made, the Bulls have opened their long-awaited indoor apply facility and made significant progress towards constructing an on-campus stadium.

But don’t get your hopes up but, USF followers. The Bulls’ struggles in soccer (and, to a lesser extent, males’s basketball) are nonetheless an issue that might be exhausting, if not unattainable, for a significant conference to get previous. USF additionally wouldn’t add a brand new time zone for the Big 12, which is a objective for its commissioner.

Instead, the more likely state of affairs has the Big 12 making an attempt to poach from the Pac-12 — in all probability the so-called Four Corners colleges of Utah, Arizona, Arizona State and Colorado.

Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff made what was supposed to be a secret visit to SMU on Wednesday that was, actually, not secret. That’s an indication that the Mustangs have joined San Diego State as a viable enlargement candidate for the Pac-12.

SMU is 32-16 over the previous 4 soccer seasons, and its final two head coaches parlayed enchancment into Power Five jobs (Chad Morris to Arkansas, Sonny Dykes to TCU). Academically, it’s ranked No. 72 by U.S. News & World Report and is making an attempt to grow to be a tier-1 analysis college. The Mustangs opened their new on-campus soccer stadium in 2000, renovated their basketball enviornment a decade in the past and broke floor in December on a $100 million end zone complex.

If the Mustangs go away — removed from a certainty — the American Athletic Conference can be with out 4 of the highest 5 groups in final 12 months’s standings. USF would lose one of many prime remaining manufacturers in its conference however would even have a better path to a conference title. If nothing else, SMU’s future is value keeping track of as USF aspires to make its personal bounce to an even bigger league.

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