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Early reports that Houston, UCF and CIN front runners for B12 . . . where is our AD???

https://theathletic.com/news/big-12-expansion-talks-focused-on-byu-ucf-cincinnati-houston-sources/5CZvjXPK0mL1

Big 12 expansion talks focused on BYU, UCF, Cincinnati, Houston:

The Big 12 continues to engage in serious discussions about future expansion, with a current preference of adding four new members, sources tell The Athletic.

BYU, UCF, Cincinnati and Houston are the four schools that have been most seriously discussed and are considered the leading contenders, sources said. The Athletic previously reported the Big 12 was seriously considering BYU as a potential addition early on in this process.

If the athletic directors and presidents of the league’s eight remaining members can reach a consensus on which members to invite, sources believe it’s possible that the process could move faster than initially anticipated. The ADs of the Big 12’s remaining schools met with commissioner Bob Bowlsby in Dallas on Tuesday and Wednesday to begin planning the future of the conference.

“The eight ADs remain committed to furthering the Big 12 as one of the nation’s premier athletic conferences, and look forward to working with our presidents and chancellors to strengthen the league,” Bowlsby said in a statement on Wednesday. “Future exploration by the group will continue to center on options that best position the long-term strength of the Conference.”

The Pac-12’s announcement last Thursday that it will not expand at this time meant the leaders of the eight schools have few options beyond staying and working together to build up the conference in preparation for its next phase, when Texas and Oklahoma leave for the SEC and its grant of rights and television deal expire in 2025.

Complain about Hart all you want, but while doing so please explain why we should be considered over any of those 4 teams.

This is also just what the Big 12 wants. It says nothing about what those teams want, although they will likely accept, OR what the Big 12 media partners want which will likely dictate much of what happens.

our AD is probably asleep at the wheel. We need Aresco to be very firm on letting any of our members out of their contracts. We also need ESPN to help AAC in this process, especially since the little8 blasted them and accused them of helping UT and OU to leave.

The better question is: "Where did our fans go?" All we can do is become the best "small fan base" program that SMU can be.

Little 8 already stated they are not adding anybody yet. If we continue an upward trajectory (this season being very important) we'll be primed to snag one of those spots if and when it happens.

BYU is tough travel and means a conference that stretches from West Virginia to Utah. Not good for nonrevenue sports. They also have a great deal of baggage related to their religious affiliation, including but not limited to no Sunday events. Of course, if not them, SMU would still have to beat out Memphis.

It would be great if SMU had some key state-level political leadership right now. (That is the *only* reason Va Tech entered the ACC when they did, and Baylor made the original Big XII cut.) But I don't think any alums are really in the right places, are they?

BYU is still going to be hard for them to take. No games on Sundays. Their own TV network is going to be an issue. UCF is kind of an outlier for them, but they had West Virginia and it is a big urban state school. Cincy is a shoo in. WV probably is demanding their addition as a travel partner. UH is a big urban state school which they would want. SMU simply has never had the fan base of other schools. Dykes is trying to change that with this Dallas' team approach. Georgetown pulled that off in DC with a demographic similar to ours.

HubbaHubba wrote:Little 8 already stated they are not adding anybody yet. If we continue an upward trajectory (this season being very important) we'll be primed to snag one of those spots if and when it happens.

Translation: Little 8 won't do anything UNTIL Texas and OU depart as they will do everything they can to hold the big boys to every "exit penalty" they can.

EastStang wrote:BYU is still going to be hard for them to take. No games on Sundays. Their own TV network is going to be an issue. UCF is kind of an outlier for them, but they had West Virginia and it is a big urban state school. Cincy is a shoo in. WV probably is demanding their addition as a travel partner. UH is a big urban state school which they would want. SMU simply has never had the fan base of other schools. Dykes is trying to change that with this Dallas' team approach. Georgetown pulled that off in DC with a demographic similar to ours.

Except that Georgetown is a non-player in football and it's king football that is driving all of this

Definitely need to be very good in one or the other to be added, but prolly football in this case.

Kansas has won 7 total conference games IN THE PAST 12 SEASONS, but their revenue from bball makes up for it and then some.

SMU Football must be perpetual top 25 caliber with some improving bball to even get considered. Dallas fans will never completely make SMU their team, but we will take each t-shirt fan we can grab.

Captain Obvious out!

As I thought from the beginning of this, I didn't have a good feeling. As one mentioned, had the Big10 or PAC12 stole 2-3 of the teams then we might have had a chance.

Chances are the AAC commissioner is probably going to SDSU (or another team elsewhere), BSU and AF to join us should we lose 3. This would officially kill MWC and you can then claim a possible P6 title and thus ending the G5 for good. Maybe that's the hope and plan?

Bottom line here is that the Big XII will try to do what any of us would do in the same position. If in fact BYU, UCF, Cincy & Houston top their list of targets, I'm going to assume that Boise State and/or Memphis would be next in line before SMU. It's a simple numbers game and while the quality of the product a school puts on the field is important, your numbers in terms of fan support is every bit as important and everyone knows that's where SMU falls short.

If the Big XII is successful in poaching the top programs from the AAC, it will be a tremendous challenge for SMU and the AAC to remain competitive at a Top 25 level. The MWC probably becomes the "best of the rest" conference at that point and I'm not sure the AAC would even be in a position to poach teams from the MWC or even CUSA or the SunBelt.

OMG.

Do you not remember a couple of months ago when the Big 12 leaked that they were in talks with the PAC 12 about a merger? Then the Pac 12 had to come out and say they had one conference call and then had to announce that they were not interested.

The Big 12 is telling everyone that they have come to a final list. So what. It doesn't say they have talked to anyone, or that anyone is considering an offer. It is like the SWAC coming out and stating that they are thinking about inviting Alabama, UT, and OU to join.

Nothing is going to happen until a final decision is made on the UT and OU exits and FOX and ESPN decide what to do with their contracts.

Yes this would be worse case scenario for SMU one thing to consider is the Big12 will be a shell of itself once OU and Texas leave.

Pretty sure TCU and Baylor and the rest of the irate8 receive like 30 million in tv rights currently. Once OU and Texas leave and the GoR expire the Big12 tv payout per team will be much closer to the AACs than the P4 schools.

ESPN could also be ticked at the IRATE8 for making OU texas wait so long or pay the buyout so they could stick it to the big12 in 2025.

We can only hope the ACC wants a foothold in Texas if the Big XII goes in a different direction.