The Southeastern Conference and the University of Missouri have informally agreed that, barring new developments, the school will join the league and that Auburn University will move to the SEC East Division, according to two people familiar with the discussions.
A majority of presidents has endorsed the informal agreement, the sources said.
Early Tuesday night, the SEC issued a statement: "The Southeastern Conference has not agreed formally or informally to accept any institution other than Texas A&M and there have not been conference discussions regarding changes in divisional alignment."
The league already plans to add Texas A&M as its 13th member, provided potential legal challenges from some remaining Big 12 members disappear. Missouri, also a member of the Big 12, would be the 14th member of the SEC.
A timetable for when Missouri would join the SEC, if the informal agreement becomes official, was not immediately known.
Earlier today, The Kansas City Star reported Missouri has an offer to join the SEC and that the league is willing to wait for an answer until the Big 12's future is decided.
SEC spokesman Charles Bloom said the SEC has not extended "any invitation" to any school other than Texas A&M. Bloom declined to say whether the SEC and Missouri have had any discussions.
Because both Missouri and Texas A&M are located to the western side of the SEC's basic footprint, that prompted discussions of moving a current West Division school to the East Division. Auburn is the easternmost school in the West Division. A third person familiar with the discussions confirmed that Auburn would move to the East if Missouri joins the league.
If Auburn moved to the SEC East, that could cause the Iron Bowl date to be changed. Moving Alabama-Auburn from the final week of the regular season would eliminate the possibility of a rematch the following week in the SEC Championship Game.
Auburn President Jay Gogue said Sept. 8 he would not be bothered if Auburn moved to the SEC East to accommodate a 14-team conference. Gogue said a benefit for Auburn would be renewing annual games against old rivals Florida and Tennessee, and that Auburn would pick Alabama to be an annual cross-division partner.
"If that's what it took, if you ever went to 14 and needed to make it work, that wouldn't be something I would be upset about," Gogue said.
In an interview last week, Auburn Athletics Director Jay Jacobs supported Gogue's position.
"We have so many students come from Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, they come on campus and say, 'Why aren't we playing Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, South Carolina? ' " Jacobs said. "I think Dr. Gogue's point is, which is mine too, whatever is best for the league to make it work, we're willing to do that.
"We went through this a year ago. I just think until all that happens, until we know what the outcome is going to be, why spend a lot of time and energy concerned about who's going to play who?"
When the SEC added Arkansas and South Carolina for the 1992 season, the conference wanted competitive balance between the divisions. That's how Auburn landed in the West even though it is farther east than Vanderbilt, which plays in the East Division.
The SEC identified six traditional powers and divided them accordingly: Florida, Georgia and Tennessee in the East, and Alabama, Auburn and LSU in the West. If Auburn shifted divisions, four of the six traditional SEC powers would be in the East.
Adding Missouri to the SEC would bring two large television markets to the SEC. St. Louis has the nation's 21st-largest, and Kansas City is 31st. The state touches three SEC states: Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky.
"Missouri makes some sense," said Neal Pilson, a television consultant and former president of CBS Sports. "It's got some big markets. It's a prestigious academic institution. It would add a rather populous state to the SEC footprint. And it wouldn't leapfrog into another part of the country, which I don't think the SEC wants to do."
Discussions with Missouri have been sensitive on a number of fronts. The SEC agreed to accept Texas A&M on the condition that remaining Big 12 members waive their right to sue the SEC.
Also, Missouri Chancellor Brady Deaton is the chairman of the Big 12 Board of Directors and has said publicly he is working to keep the Big 12 together. He told The St. Louis Post-Dispatch last week there is no complication for him to serve as chairman of the Big 12 while also working in Missouri's best interests.
On Monday, the boards of regents of two big-name Big 12 schools, Texas and Oklahoma, authorized their presidents to explore new conferences. Oklahoma's president said it is considering the Pac-12, as might Texas. The presidents of both schools have said remaining in the Big 12 remains an option.
The Oklahoman reported late this afternoon that Oklahoma is considering remaining in the Big 12, but only in a "reformed" version with rules for Texas' Longhorn Network and the removal of Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe.
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Anyone know a good divorce lawyer...? We take out our aggressions one weekend a year.
Dammit.
I guess I will be demanding to fly home for one game a year now... unless we are in rotation with LSU or A&M.
Fucking Aggies screw everything up.
SAN FRANCISCO -- The Pac-12 Conference is standing pat for now.
The league's presidents and chancellors voted late Tuesday night to reaffirm their decision to stay at a dozen members. Commissioner Larry Scott says "after careful review we have determined that it is in the best interests of our member institutions, student-athletes and fans to remain a 12-team conference."
Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech were among those considering a potential move from the Big 12. After expanding from the Pac-10 with new members Utah and Colorado last year, members of the new Pac-12 won't give them the chance.
The league already negotiated a landmark 12-year television contract with Fox and ESPN worth about $3 billion. And it appears plenty happy at a dozen.
I know there was already a thread, but it's 4 pages and is probably somewhere in quoteville by now, so....
http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/09/tentative_plan_for_mizzou_to_j.html
Of course, it is Al.com, so it could be complete bullshit.
Can someone explain why, in talks with Mizzou, Auburn moving to the East came up? Or why it was agreed in this deal that Auburn, and no other school will move to the east? Why is it Auburn comes up in moving to the east every time expansion is talked about? How about moving bammer to the east with their greatest rivals UT and UF?
I've always heard the reason is that Auburn is the furthest east of all the SEC West Schools. No other logic than that.
But if it does happen, Auburn gets fucked in the deal. Playing UT, UGA, UF, and Bama every year gives them the hardest road to the SECCG of anyone (unless UF keeps it's yearly game with LSU, then they get fucked like we do).
How about a complete shake up:
SEC North: UK, UT, UGA, USCe, Ark, Mizzou, Vandy
SEC South: UF, LSU, Bammer, AU, aTm, MSU, Ole Miss
How about a complete shake up:
SEC North: UK, UT, UGA, USCe, Ark, Mizzou, Vandy
SEC South: UF, LSU, Bammer, AU, aTm, MSU, Ole Miss
That turns the SEC into the former Big 12. Do we really want a 4 loss team playing in the SEC championship?
We ain't having no part of a conference that has a division named "North"
Ask Ark. fans if they aren't on par with the big boys. They're just like bammer and LSU according to them.
Football is cyclical, you're thinking in terms of today. UGA and UT are likely set to become powers again, sooner rather than later (UGA will replace Richt, and who knows what new blood brings there), and USCe is usually going to be decent (as good as, and usually better than Ole Miss and MSU), and can, on occasion, contend. Ask Ark. fans if they aren't on par with the big boys. They're just like bammer and LSU according to them.
How about a complete shake up:
SECNorthChumps: UK, UT, UGA, USCe, Ark, Mizzou, Vandy
SECSouthChamps: UF, LSU, Bammer, AU, aTm, MSU, Ole Miss
Source: Removal of Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe among OU's demands
A high-ranking source told The Oklahoman on Tuesday that OU wants hard and fast rules for Texas and the removal of Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe in order for the Sooners to stay in the conference
The University of Oklahoma is considering remaining in the Big 12, but only in a “reformed” version of the conference that includes restrictions on Texas' Longhorn Network and removal of Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe, a high-ranking source at a Big 12 school said Tuesday.
OU president David Boren said Monday the Sooners would decide soon between applying for Pac-12 membership or staying in the Big 12, and the source outlined the parameters for remaining in the Big 12.
“It's going to take major, major reforms” for OU, and thus Oklahoma State, to consider remaining in the Big 12, the source said. “We'd have to have an interim commissioner.”
The source said the league presidents do not believe Beebe responded with adequate leadership to Nebraska's and Texas A&M's frustration, even though Beebe was rewarded last November with a contract extension through 2015.
The Big 12 has lost three members in the last 15 months, and “the relationships were so bad (with) the commissioner,” the source said.
The other reform the Sooners demand is Texas and ESPN retreating on some of their plans for the Longhorn Network. The UT/ESPN partnership angered Big 12 members on two counts: 1) ESPN reached an agreement with Fox Sports to move a conference football game to the Longhorn Network; and 2) The Longhorn Network announced it would show high school highlights even after the conference voted to keep televised high school games off school-branded networks.
The source said it is not inevitable that OU and OSU will go to the Pac-12, even though the OU regents support the move.
Both Boren and athletic director Joe Castiglione have stated their desire to make the Big 12 work, as have OSU president Burns Hargis and athletic director Mike Holder.
“No one wants to give up on it,” an OSU source said of the Big 12. The problems have “nothing to do with finances. It has nothing to do with success. For the league to be falling apart, it's crazy.”
But the high-ranking source at a Big 12 school said OU is willing to consider only a reformed Big 12.
The source said conference expansion is not a major issue, that while the Big 12 likely needs to return to 10 or 12 schools, the reforms are a much higher priority for stabilizing the conference.
Tuesday, the Birmingham News reported that Missouri has tentatively agreed to join the Southeastern Conference, “barring new developments.” It's likely that the Big 12 would not continue without Missouri.
Texas A&M's move to the SEC has been held up by Baylor's threat of litigation. But the reforms OU seeks would not entice the Aggies to remain in the Big 12.
“We are gone,” said an A&M official.
Earlier Tuesday, OSU booster Boone Pickens, who tried to use his influence in the state of Texas to get A&M to make the same demands of UT that OU now is making, said he detected a thaw in the Aggies' stance.
Pickens even contacted Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who is running for the Republican presidential nomination.
Pickens said he told Perry to show America that “you fix problems, don't contribute to 'em.”
Perry is a former Texas A&M yell leader. “After the Aggies leave school, they're still looking for a yell leader,” Pickens said. He said he told Perry to be that leader.
But A&M vice president for communications Jason Cook, responding to Pickens, said, “Texas A&M has made our intentions perfectly clear. We do not intend to be a member of the Big 12 past this season.”
Another source from a Big 12 school said OU's demands could prompt Texas to compromise. If the Sooners and Cowboys leave the Big 12, Texas is not likely to stay and almost surely would have to acquiesce on its network anyway, in some other league. Why not give in and keep the Big 12 together?
“You've got to have some of these items of trust,” the first source said. “Some clear understanding of what individual networks can do.”
The source said OU's goal is not to run the Big 12. He said OU's goal is to not have any school run the conference.
And the impression has been that Texas, via Beebe, has run roughshod over the Big 12.
“The perception is, he answers only to one school,” the source said. “That does not work.”
The source said Beebe made the decision that appeasing Texas was the Big 12's best hope for stability. “He made the wrong decision,” the source said. Instead, that led to instability, with the departure of Nebraska and now A&M.
The source said Big 12 presidents view Beebe as a commissioner serving only one school, Texas. They lay Nebraska's departure in June 2010 at the feet of Beebe.
“When a commissioner has a tin ear to what's happening in Nebraska and doesn't get himself up there…” the source said.
Ironically, the source said, Texas supported another candidate for commissioner four years ago, when Beebe was hired, while OU supported Beebe.
The source also said Beebe left items off the conference agenda that could have helped corral The Longhorn Network, such as a conference game being televised.
“The best commissioner's a consensus builder,” the source said. “We need a consensus-builder commissioner.
“You take the Big Ten, SEC, the Pac-12, their conference office runs circles around our conference in capability, not to mention bias. This commissioner totally cost us Texas A&M.”
The source said that OU could even push for revenue-sharing of individual networks. Texas is reaping more than $12 million a year from its ESPN contract with the Longhorn Network.
“What if we share a small percentage?” the source asked. “That's a real strong show of support. Where's anybody going to go in any other conference that doesn't want all your network? Wouldn't it be a nice show of good faith?
“It would be making sure the conference was even-handed and stable.
“It's true there's some things in favor of the Pac-12. Plain stability. We don't want to have to do this every year. What do we do? What do we do?”
Read more: http://newsok.com/source-removal-of-big-12-commissioner-dan-beebe-among-ous-demands/article/3605958#ixzz1Yb6hjXtl
In 19 years of the SEC championship games, you're putting a division together in the north that have won the SEC Championship a grand total of 4 times. The south has teams who have won it 15 times. Nothing cyclical about it.
:sad:
If they break it all up, they'll have to do what they did originally. Take the six "powers" and then split the divisions somehow keeping three in each.
Powers = Auburn, Alabama, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, LSU
Think they are Powers, but are not: Arky and SC
Putzes = Missouri, A&M, Ole Miss, Vandy, Kentucky, MSU
Wasn't Dan Beebe the main guy to hammer SMU back when he worked for the NCAA?
I thought he was the only white guy to play wide receiver in the 90's.
Anyone know a good divorce lawyer...? We take out our aggressions one weekend a year.
Dammit.
I guess I will be demanding to fly home for one game a year now... unless we are in rotation with LSU or A&M.
Fucking Aggies screw everything up.
Not sure I completely agree that A&M and Mizzou are on par with the other putzes. I'd put them with Ark and SC.
But your division works too.
Arky is not > aTm historically. I would say they are even if anything.
SC barely has a .500 record all time. Mizzou - yes, they are a putz.
After looking at Mizzou's all time record, I agree. I think I was confrusing them with Iowa. Mizzou sucks ass.FIXT
It looks like Missou may stay put now. If we are still taking A&M, which I think COULD be a good move, I say we take TCU. Seriously. Decent football program. Really good baseball program. And over all great academics and school. That way, we take more of Texas and keep this thing some what regional...
I say we take neither.
Fuck TCU, BTW.
I say we take neither.
Fuck TCU, BTW.
We don't need them, they need the SEC. We are The Joneses.:sec:
We don't need them, they need the SEC. We are The Joneses.
Not only does the SEC have the best football and best opportunities for athletic success, we also have location. The Southeast in of its self is a great recruiting tool. I mean seriously who in the hell wants to go to school in the miserable as Big Whatthefuckever or the Backstabbing Big Whatthefuckever Dos. Maybe the Pac-12 has some nice locations but they're all a bunch of pussies....and the kind most of these young athletes want to bang. So, regardless of how much alignment these other wannabe's do, they're still fucked.
1. Taking neither is probably not an option.
2. TCU would be a shit ton better than Missou, V. Tech or West Virginia.
aTm is cool with me but HELL NO to Misery.Don't care for Mizzou either...like going backwards.
Misery screws us BIG TIME.
We end up going to the eastern side and then you have
4 of the big 6 all on one side(also 3 BCS champs and one who should have gotten it in 2001 or 2007 there with us) meanwhile Bama and LSU not only get the easiest path but they ALSO get their dang programs down into Texas every other year for recruiting purposes. Meanwhile, Auburn is having to contend with all sorts of ugly on the east side and RARE trips into Texas to play in front of all those Texas kids. Yes I know Georgia and TN are currently down but they aren't staying that way. Auburn already recruits Georgia and Florida very good. I'm not at all for conceding an easy path for LSU and Bama on top of getting their program more front and center by playing in Texas all the time while we on the other hand get stuck on murderers row in the East. Not cool.
Screw Mizzou.