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Texas and Oklahoma could transition to SEC official in a few weeks, ESPN has confirmed.
The Austin American-Statesman reported on Friday that a Big 12 source believed talks between the SEC and the two schools had been underway for more than six months, although Texas A&M had been excluded from the talks. An SEC source told ESPN’s Heather Dinich that it was incorrect that A&M was left out of the conversation.
The report also indicates that this decision could become official in a few weeks. A high-level administrator said his understanding of the situation reflects this timeline.
A Big 12 source told Dinich that neither Texas nor Oklahoma have officially expressed their desire to leave the rest of the conference members behind.
ESPN reported Thursday that Texas and Oklahoma likely owe the Big 12 more than $ 76 million each to buy out the remainder of their media rights licensing deal, which runs until 2025. A new deal with the SEC , however, would likely make that easily affordable price tag for both power programs.
Big 12 officials held a call Thursday to discuss the league’s future, with Texas and Oklahoma absent from the discussion.
If this move came true, the fallout for the rest of college football would be huge and the administrator believes the larger impact could cause significant damage to the sport.
Several ACC athletic directors believed that over the next several years their league would make an effort to add both Texas and Oklahoma – as well as Notre Dame, who is currently a partial member of the ACC – while ‘She’s looking to restructure her TV deal, but the suddenness of the Longhorns and Sooners’ move to the SEC has taken them by surprise.
One ACC AD wondered if this might be the first domino that would lead to a massive upheaval that would ultimately result in a “super conference” of 32 teams. Two other ADs have suggested that the best way forward would be for the ACC, Pac-12 and others to work together towards a new media rights package that could help counter the inordinate strength of a 16-team SEC, although an AD also said he believed there was minimal value in what was left of the Big 12.
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