Is SMU about to be left behind once again?

[ponyboy]

I think ESPN will ultimately get their way for the AAC to do the absorbing, not the other way around.

[Terry Webster]

One of my friends who works at UC said that SMU's biggest strike against them was that the Big 12 didn't want three church related school within a 100 mile drive of each other. Not sure if that is real, but it sounds plausible.

[SMU_Alum11]

One of my friends who works at UC said that SMU's biggest strike against them was that the Big 12 didn't want three church related school within a 100 mile drive of each other. Not sure if that is real, but it sounds plausible.

I hardly call the 3 schools "church schools" other than historically. I guess Baylor is close to a church school but not really. However I understand if they were really meaning "small private schools" then yes true.

[Topper]

One of my friends who works at UC said that SMU's biggest strike against them was that the Big 12 didn't want three church related school within a 100 mile drive of each other. Not sure if that is real, but it sounds plausible.

I hardly call the 3 schools "church schools" other than historically. I guess Baylor is close to a church school but not really. However I understand if they were really meaning "small private schools" then yes true.

It is 88 miles from TCU to Baylor. 99 miles from SMU. So drop TCU from the conference and move SMU one mile to the north.

[ponyboy]

Sportscaster in Houston (Matt Musil) says the Big12 move is basically a done deal. Formal invites in a week.

[CJPONY16]

If my math is correct the remaining Big 12 schools will get about 17.5 M each minus whatever the conference office keeps if UT and OU leave right now. I can only assume that when UT and OU are gone ESPN will immediately re-negotiate the Big 12 tv contract if the lawyers who drew the thing up knew what they were doing. Take out the UT and OU viewers and the Little 8 probably don't draw that many more viewers nationwide than the combined average of the AAC. How much of an advantage does that payout money give the Big 12 over the AAC? If Kansas and ISU manage an invite from the Big 10, the Big 12 becomes much less attractive than the AAC. I think that the schools being targeted (Cincy, UCF, Memphis, Houston) should be patient and wait to see how many more Big 12 jump ship.

Fox is the main media partner for the Big 12. Whatever is going on is being backed by Fox, not ESPN. The Big 12 has had Fox involved in the decision making process for their conference additions. They probably already know what Fox is willing to pay for the 8+4Big12. Then they'll figure out how to split up the UT/OU buyout later.

[EastStang]

Not only will the invitees have to pay an exit fee to the AAC, but an entrance fee to the Big XII. Hope they get entry fees waived and force the Big XII to pay their exit fees. Otherwise, they may be in for a sad shock. They paid $X Million and get back $X-10 in return.

[Topper]

If my math is correct the remaining Big 12 schools will get about 17.5 M each minus whatever the conference office keeps if UT and OU leave right now. I can only assume that when UT and OU are gone ESPN will immediately re-negotiate the Big 12 tv contract if the lawyers who drew the thing up knew what they were doing. Take out the UT and OU viewers and the Little 8 probably don't draw that many more viewers nationwide than the combined average of the AAC. How much of an advantage does that payout money give the Big 12 over the AAC? If Kansas and ISU manage an invite from the Big 10, the Big 12 becomes much less attractive than the AAC. I think that the schools being targeted (Cincy, UCF, Memphis, Houston) should be patient and wait to see how many more Big 12 jump ship.

Fox is the main media partner for the Big 12. Whatever is going on is being backed by Fox, not ESPN. The Big 12 has had Fox involved in the decision making process for their conference additions. They probably already know what Fox is willing to pay for the 8+4Big12. Then they'll figure out how to split up the UT/OU buyout later.

According to the Fort Worth Star Telegram ESPN is the Big 12's primary media rights holder.
https://www.star-telegram.com/sports/sp ... 42863.html

[Mustangs35SMU]

Really depressing what’s coming out, tbh.

[SMU_Alum11]

Sportscaster in Houston (Matt Musil) says the Big12 move is basically a done deal. Formal invites in a week.

If this is true then wow talk about dark days ahead of us. I really hope Aresco has invites out to Boise state and others to still keep the AAC the #6 spot. I hate that Houston didn't try to rep for us to get in and I hate that our AD doesn't have a parking spot at the Big12 HQ to sit there and rep with them on a daily basis.

[NTXCoog]

Sportscaster in Houston (Matt Musil) says the Big12 move is basically a done deal. Formal invites in a week.

If this is true then wow talk about dark days ahead of us. I really hope Aresco has invites out to Boise state and others to still keep the AAC the #6 spot. I hate that Houston didn't try to rep for us to get in and I hate that our AD doesn't have a parking spot at the Big12 HQ to sit there and rep with them on a daily basis.

I don't think Houston was in a position to advocate for anyone as most reporting has UH as the last team in a 4 team expansion. Advocating for a particular team or for future expansion in general may be possible later, but not now

[JasonB]

I'm hearing it is done. Will be announced by Friday, start playing in 2023.

[redpony]

If true then this is the possible end of the AAC. The conference will be below MWC, CUSA and on a par with SWAC. Time to determine if we want to continue with any type of sports programs. No reason to be happy with a second class program. Turner has turned out to be Pye in disguise and his AD lapboy has just help sink us by doing nothing.

[mustangxc]

The AAC will still have:

SMU
Memphis
Navy
Temple
USF

and Tulsa (the best CUSA program prior to arriving in the AAC), ECU (a perennial P5 killer when they are winning), and Tulane (solid under Willie Fritz).

The AAC will have to quickly ascertain whether they can form a strong western division with some MWC teams or add 1-2 solid east teams to stay division-less. We need to make sure we keep our programs strong so that we are next in line for the call up along with Memphis.

[PNW_Stang]

Just hope Sonny and Staff stick around. If we are playing UTSA and Georgia State, I would think Sonny would move onto the Tech job when it opens up this year. But what do I know, he may love it here. Just can’t imagine ever packing the stadium in a lesser conference. Our home slate of games is already awful this year in the AAC.