The outcome wasn’t certain, but it did happen. After a series of false starts, plot twists, and continued negotiations, the Big 12 arrived at a deal with Oklahoma and Texas to facilitate an early exit to the SEC in 2024. The previously existing arrangement would have kept the Sooners and Longhorns in the Big 12 through 2024, leading to an SEC arrival in 2025.
“According to the report, Texas and Oklahoma will pay a combined $100 million exit fee to the Big 12 conference. The fee helps offset the loss in media revenue the remaining eight schools took when they admitted BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF,” Sooners Wire wrote.
“The general feeling around college football was that Brett Yormark and the Big 12 were motivated to come to a win-win agreement with Oklahoma and Texas. However, Fox, one of the networks that held the Big 12’s media rights, was less likely to relent, seeking equitable value to offset the loss of OU and Texas to its competitor, the SEC.”
This move means the Big 12 can now pursue expansion more quickly. Arizona and Arizona State become obvious targets, which could hamper the Pac-12’s ability to pursue a favorable media rights deal at a time when it is courting San Diego State and SMU. We’ll keep you posted on Pac-12 expansion and survival plot points as events warrant.
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