Texas and ND to B1G Rumor (from Wildcat Report)

[BigAppleBadger]

Not sure if this has been posted by anyone. It was linked to on another board that I visit.

Supposedly the author of the post has been credible in the past (and may work at the Big Ten's head office), but obviously as with all of these expansion rumors, take this all with a heaping pile of salt:

Earlier this evening, Notre Dame and Texas jointly presented the Big Ten Conference with their proposed terms of entry into the conference. These terms resulted from lengthy discussions among both schools and the Big Ten over the past several months.

The major items include:
1. The preservation of an eight game (plus championship) conference football schedule. Both ND and Texas wish to preserve rivalries with non-Big Ten universities on a regular basis. This would require the Big Ten to abandon its current plans of a 9 game conference schedule.
2. The staggering of the schedule to allow for mid-season scheduling with non-conference football opponents.
3. The preservation of the status quo conference makeup until approximately 2014, unless the Big XII fails to retain key (NOT including A&M) conference members. This will provide the member schools, acting in unison, with the greatest leverage negotiating ongoing television contracts, particularly with ESPN.
4. Should Texas depart the conference for the Big Ten before ND due to the further disintegration of the Big XII, ND will remain independent until approximately 2014
5. The Longhorn Network would remain independent until approximately 2014, at which point the network would become a part of an expanded Big Ten Network (specifically referred to as "BTN2"), likely either in partnership with Fox, NBC, or less likely ABC

The Big Ten just wrapped up a meeting to initially consider all of the terms presented by the schools, including the aforementioned.

Notably, there is a general discontent with the reporting of the situation by ESPN with specific regard to Texas. ESPN has, for self-serving purposes, drastically exaggerated the lean of Texas to the Pac12 conference in nearly all commentary. ESPN has essentially waged a propaganda campaign to drive support among the Texas stakeholders to the Pac12 conference. ESPN has gone so far as to attempt to accelerate the disintegration of the Big XII to pressure Texas into making an immediate conference change decision. Texas has steadfastly resisted change, and will do so until the appropriate time occurs for Texas to stand in a strong position to renegotiate television contracts, including with ESPN.

In reality, the preference expressed by Texas' relevant leadership is to depart the Big XII for the Big Ten at the time that gives Texas the greatest leverage in negotiating a new television rights deal. The Big Ten and Texas agreed that Texas should do what is best for Texas, which they also both agree is a move by Texas to join the Big Ten Conference. Delaney's top priority has been to create an environment for Texas and Notre Dame to join the conference on mutually benefical terms.

Notre Dame has an interest in preserving its traditional rivalries, three of which occur already in the Big Ten, and creating a new national rivalry with a traditional powerhouse. The Big Ten believes that ND prefers independence, but realizes that it will soon have no choice but to join a conference. The Big Ten also believes that ND is trying to position itself so that if it must join a conference, it does so on the most favorable terms possible. Hence the return to the 8 game schedule and a protected game with national power Texas. The Big Ten will attempt to create a mutually beneficial environment for ND that allows it to preserve a great deal of independence to retain all its traditional rivalries within the conference context.

The initial mood at the Big Ten to the terms provided by the two schools is "receptive."

Source

 

[herky]

I saw this linked earlier today on a Hawkeye site, and debated posting it. I just don't see the conferenc, ie Delaney, doing any of this.

 

[tabascojet]

"bend over and take our terms B1G, Yehaw!!!" - xoxo Deloss

 

[BigAppleBadger]

I am skeptical about ND joining a conference except under one specific circumstance: a re-alignment into 16 team super-conferences causes a re-write of the current BCS rules, and they lose their special auto-bid.

As long as they have that, they've got no reason to join a conference.

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

I posted this in another thread, but check it out, these guys are spot on most of the time:

Spartan Nation | Resetting the Big Ten Expansion Situation

 

[tabascojet]

prior to the 2002 season all teams played only 3 occ games anyway, if the B1G caves on the plans to go to 9 cg a year because of this id laugh. Must preserve the ND /navy and UT/rice matchups at all costs!!

 

[BigAppleBadger]

For what it's worth, another unsubstantiated rumor from a different site:

Another interesting note. Apparently UT has helped broker a deal between Baylor and the SEC. The aggies will not be joining the SEC, but staying in the Big 12 until 2014. The time lines match with what PBC posted. Not sure what this does for Baylor except give them one more year of TV money to pay for their stadium expansion that is the center of this whole mess with the SEC. It would also give Baylor another year to find a new home I guess.

Maybe coincidence, but there's a parallel in that 2014 time frame. It would make sense if everyone had sat down and agreed that the Big 12 was done, but to hold everything until 2014 so that the ugly ducklings could find some kind of home.

 

[BigAppleBadger]

prior to the 2002 season all teams played only 3 occ games anyway, if the B1G caves on the plans to go to 9 cg a year because of this id laugh. Must preserve the ND /navy and UT/rice matchups at all costs!!

Well with 14 or 16 teams does the 9 game schedule really matter?

With 10 teams, you can do a round robin and play everyone. With 12 teams, you can play everyone in your division, plus 4 out of 6 in the other division (i.e., you only "skip" two teams a year, which is what the B10 conference teams did since Penn State joined). With 16 teams, just playing the teams in your own division means 7 games, so you play either 1 or 2 teams in the other division. Does it matter?

 

[ForkEmBucky]

I've said it before. I'll say it again. I don't see all these bigwig schools with their over indulged bigwig alumni getting along. It took Penn State joining the conference, and Barry Alvarez slowly building influence to finally begin loosening the stranglehold the stuffy old Michigan and Ohio State alumni had on the conference. Finally we add Nebraska, and things seem really well balanced.

Now we throw the TEXAS powers that be into this mess? Then Notre Dame? My God.... Delaney will be in closed doors meetings every day, 24/7, until he just passes out and goes into a freakin' coma.

 

[huskers1217]

http://www.sportshoopla.com/forums/politics-forum/43851-texas-notre-dame-big-ten.html

I dont why I stuck it in the politcis forum

 

[Big Red Said]

I've said it before. I'll say it again. I don't see all these bigwig schools with their over indulged bigwig alumni getting along. It took Penn State joining the conference, and Barry Alvarez slowly building influence to finally begin loosening the stranglehold the stuffy old Michigan and Ohio State alumni had on the conference. Finally we add Nebraska, and things seem really well balanced.

Now we throw the TEXAS powers that be into this mess? Then Notre Dame? My God.... Delaney will be in closed doors meetings every day, 24/7, until he just passes out and goes into a freakin' coma.

I have no idea what is fact or fiction on all this crap and neither does anyone else for that matter as the chips have to fall first to see who reacts and how they react.

I read the link that 46&2 has above and I agree with ND not going anywhere unless the BCS auto bid is removed. What's the point? I would be very skeptical of Delany making any moves to grab Texas.

Yep, would be nice to have that audience but I do not think the political bombshells that Texas has been the common denominator in, is something that Delany wants to be part of.

Could I be wrong and the (Amount of $$$) drive the deal? Sure, but if it does go the route of ND and Texas, I sure would not make changes to accommodate them... over accommodating what Delany and the Big Ten AD's have already put in place. With that said and if this turns to fact with those two additions... the argument as to which conference has the most Prestige would certainly continue...

But.... Big Ten... let's be sure the (tail does not wag the dog here)... and succumb to the demands of two of the most arrogant teams in the land. Bring them in on the conditions that the present AD's set in stone and make sure you have it in writing... LOL

 

[BigAppleBadger]

The one thing I'll say (Husker fans that may not be familiar, I'm talking to you) is that Jim Delany is not stupid when it comes to this expansion stuff. He's been commissioner since 1989, is responsible for adding both Penn State and Nebraska, and will run circles around Dan Beebe.

Now picking names for divisions, on the other hand, is not the man's strong suit...

 

[Big Red Said]

The one thing I'll say (Husker fans that may not be familiar, I'm talking to you) is that Jim Delany is not stupid when it comes to this expansion stuff. He's been commissioner since 1989, is responsible for adding both Penn State and Nebraska, and will run circles around Dan Beebe.

Now picking names for divisions, on the other hand, is not the man's strong suit...

Well; I sure and the hell hope he is better that Ban Deebe... LOL

He has said all the right things, so I just hopes he evaulates the entire picture before he gives away the cow rather than just the milk to two institutions that have been in the news for all the wrong reasons lately...

 

[WoodyHayes1951]

fellow Big Ten dudes,

Texas and Notre Dame coming to the Big Ten would be submitting to OUR will. Not the other way around.

If they join then they know they won't have the votes for anything. Big 12 worked so well for Texas because they needed 9 votes to pass stuff. 4 Texas schools united made it pretty hard to get stuff done without Texas approval.

Both ND and UT are alone in this. Texas would be the only Texas school and ND is isolated as no one school in the conference likes them(except maybe Texas/UNL since I don't know their fanbases or schools well at all).


Also,

If Notre Dame and Texas want their little November tilt annually then let them have it.

 

[starbigd]

Texas won't join the Big 10.....simply because they don't want to be the only southern school in the conference, and do all the traveling. It's just not a good fit culturally for them.

I must admit it would be interesting to watch, but there isn't an alumnus alive with any clout that would want to see this happen. NOBODY in Texas wants to go north for winter games.

 

[Red_Alert]

Texas won't join the Big 10.....simply because they don't want to be the only southern school in the conference, and do all the traveling. It's just not a good fit culturally for them.

I must admit it would be interesting to watch, but there isn't an alumnus alive with any clout that would want to see this happen. NOBODY in Texas wants to go north for winter games.

What if the B1G agreed to move it's main office to Texas, and hold it's CCG in Texas, and drastically limit the amount of time the other coaches could spend on the road recruiting, and allowed Texas to keep it's LHN, and replaced Delaney with Beebe?

 

[TexasMan]

What if the B1G agreed to move it's main office to Texas, and hold it's CCG in Texas, and drastically limit the amount of time the other coaches could spend on the road recruiting, and allowed Texas to keep it's LHN, and replaced Delaney with Beebe?

Then that would be great.

 

[WoodyHayes1951]

Winter Games?

12 games.

At least 7 in Austin.

1 OOC game in September or October(It could be in Alaska and still be hot)

4 games north. 2 October and November. 1 will probably be in Lincoln(Like old times).

And the temperature in November is greatly exaggerated. Outside of Chicago,Iowa and the Twin Cities the weather is usually fine until B-ball season.

 

[starbigd]

Winter Games?

12 games.

At least 7 in Austin.

1 OOC game in September or October(It could be in Alaska and still be hot)

4 games north. 2 October and November. 1 will probably be in Lincoln(Like old times).

And the temperature in November is greatly exaggerated. Outside of Chicago,Iowa and the Twin Cities the weather is usually fine until B-ball season.

Not sure alumni will see it that way. Texans travel extremely well, but they'd much rather go east or west than north.

I guess we'll all see how this plays out. I don't think anybody has a clue anymore what's going on.

 

[it'sHuskers4me]

No, but it makes for good speculation!