Big 12 Gives Nebraska Deadline of 2 Weeks
Per the Dallas Morning News, Nebraska has been given a deadline of 2 weeks to decide whether or not it will remain in B12.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/colleges/topstories/sto…
Also:
http://www.statesman.com/sports/nebraska-missouri-given-ultimatum-on-de…
Kind of like a massive game of NCAA Jenga. All the university presidents have been taking out the easy pieces. All it will take is for just the right piece to be pulled, and total chaos will ensue. Could this be the piece?
I think the "6 teams from the B12 to the Pac10" deal is going to happen. I think the B10 then grabs Nebraska (which no longer has to pay a penalty for leaving the B12 because everyone else is also leaving). The Big 10 gets an elite name and a championship game, further boosting per team revenues, and pauses to watch ND squirm.
ND will be left wondering whether USC and Stanford will be able to continue to play them every year post expansion. Best of all, with the new TV deal just announced by the ACC and the B12/Pac 10 combo leading to new TV contracts for that conference along with a likely Pac 16 Network modeled on BTN, if ND remains independent it will find itself making less TV money than every school in the B10, SEC, ACC and Pac 16. Now that is what I call poetic justice.
It also tells you Texas wants the B12 to survive. No way Nebraska would be given an ultimatum if Texas wasn't on board. FWIW I can't say I understand how the B12 could be this dysfunctional, but it sure is fun to watch.
It's dysifunctional because they constructed the Big 12 with a (maybe fatal) flaw: unequal revenue sharing with Texas as the king. I don't know the real amounts, but I've read that while texas get compensated as well or better than a Big 10 team, everyone else gets less, way less. Particularly Mizzou, and even Nebraska (who are better off than Mizzou, Iowa State or Colorado, but still feel dissed in relation to their storied football brand). This apparently has been digging at ex-Big 8 schools all along.
My understanding is that revenue (TV) is based upon appearances, particularly national ones. So while in the Big Ten, Northwestern makes the same amount of money as Ohio State/Penn State when it comes to TV revenue, in the Big Twelve, Texas is raking in the cash because they are attractive to ESPN/ FoxCollegeSports and on TV frequently, while Iowa State is, well, not.
I kind of hope this is true. I am tired of all of the speculation. I would like to see the whole thing start happening, and get it over with.
drunk joeyb is pissed that stupid rumors about expansion keep getting posted.
At least it's relevant. Not another name my dog thread.
But has Nebraska actually been invited to join another conference? If they say they're leaving, but no invitation happens, where does that leave them? I suppose they could join with Notre Dame, have a mini-conference of 2 teams, and play a championship game against each other every year.
/sarcasm
This is a poker game betweem Texas (which would like to keep the B12 together and start its own cable network) and Nebraska and Missouri (the loss of which will tank the B12). Texas is basically threatening to go to the Pac 10 with some group of other B12 teams unless Nebraska and Missouri agree to take leaving the conference off the table.
And, yes, without another conference offer, Nebraska and Missouri would be taking a risk not to recommit to the B12. Not sure about Missouri, but Nebraska is a big enough name that I think they believe they would be welcome either in the B10 or SEC (both of which pay much more money than the B12).
Note: I am including Missouri in this even though the report only mentioned Nebraska, because I cannot imagine why the B12 would give this deadline to Nebraska and not to Missouri. In fact, the B12 may have given this deadline to all of the teams in the conference, knowing that Nebraska and Missouri are the only ones really in question. If that is the case, KU, KSU, ISU and Baylor are probably busy faxing in their commitment letters as I type.
True, but we can be pretty certain that if Nebraska and/or Missouri leave, they will definitely be picked up by someone. It's not really an empty threat when they know they will land somewhere if they leave. I'm sure the Big Ten would be chomping at the bit to get Nebraska and get that title game.
this would only expand the domination of the B10 in the midwest...but we will have to wait and see what happens....
The Omaha-World Herald has confirmed the Dallas Morning News report. Specifically, the story says:
"The Austin American-Statesman, citing two sources from Big 12 schools, reported Saturday night that NU and Missouri have been given until Friday at 5 p.m. to declare whether they are with the Big 12 or will pursue a move to the Big Ten."
"Coincidentally, the Nebraska Board of Regents is scheduled to meet Friday and Saturday in Lincoln."
"If Nebraska pursues a spot in the Big Ten, multiple sources said, the Pac-10 expansion will move forward and the Big 12 will crumble."
Full story here:
Tom Shatel put out a piece that is a good read. His take on the deadline (and any Nebraska commitment to remain in the B12) is as follows:
"For now, or until the next scenario is floated, it seems to me that Texas and the rest of the Big 12 are waiting on Nebraska, which is waiting on the Big Ten. Deadlines don't mean much. The Big 12 isn't going to chase NU away. Likewise, a Husker commitment to the Big 12 will be good only until the Big Ten calls — if and when that happens."
Full article:
This makes a good point. The only thing a "commitment" is good for is an increased buyout or an extended lame duck period until that school can join another conference.
... if the Big Ten gets Nebraska, it's an awesome start. The problem with Texas is that they have A&M, Tech and Baylor tagging along like ugly sisters at a high school dance (thanks to the arrogant Republic of Texas legislators).
While I know in my head it would be good for the Big Ten to snare ND, in my heart I would love to see them left out, and finding no one in the new world order wanting or needing to play them. They are then left with Boston College and the the service academies. Perhaps the Merchant Marine Institute could start a team to fill out their schedule.
Go Screamin' Seamen!!!!
but I know they will be affiliated at dome point anyway
That is perhaps the most awesome typo I've ever seen. +1 for you sir.
ESPN is reporting a deadline of 5 pm on Friday for both Nebraska and Mizzou to make a decision.
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5257088
Seems to me that this "ultimatum" approach might seal the deal for them to leave. But then again it might be necessary for B12 planning purposes.
When would Nebraska and Missouri, if they came to the B10, start to play B10 games? Is this for next year or for 2012?
IIRC when PSU joined the Big Ten the non-football sports began Big Ten play within a year. Football took a few more years (4 or 5?) to begin Big Ten play. I think PSU had to work through a number of contractual obligations with non-conference opponents. May be a similar situation with the next round of expansion.
I think what made it difficult for PSU football was they were an independent. Thus, they might have had a few years where they had already signed contracts with other schools for football.
For Missouri/Neb/big east teams, I don't think it would be that hard. They wipe their Big 12/Big East slate of games clean and replace those games with big ten teams. They keep their 4 non-conference games as is (missou would need to replace Illinois on the non-conference slate). The big east might be a little more difficult since they only play 7 conference games and have 5 non-conference games, and would have to switch to 8 conference games and 4 non-conference games.
Since ND is an independant like PSU was, it might take a few years before ND could begin a full slate of big 10 conference games.
I have the feeling that if ND came to its senses and decided they wanted to join the B10, the ripple effects would be huge. It would probably deflate much of the desire to expand the B10 beyond 12 teams, which in turn would leave the Big East largely intact, effectively ending the notions of the ACC raiding a Big East ravaged by the B10. It would also mean the end of the dalliance between the B10 and Nebraska and Missouri, meaning that the B12 stays intact, meaning the Pac10 stays as it is. Since I believe geographically proximate rivalries are what makes college football as popular as it is, I actually prefer this scenario.
All of which irritates the hell out of me because it just confirms ND's status as a major player, regardless of what they do.
http://www.columbiatribune.com/weblogs/behind-the-stripes/2010/jun/06/s…
I had not realized that Mizzou had previously flirted with the B10, and apparently it ruffled some feathers:
"An ultimatum might not hold much water legally, but the rest of the league's frustration with MU and Nebraska seems understandable — just like it seemed understandable 16 years ago when Missouri was gumming up the works of the Big Eight-Southwest Conference merger when school officials insisted on flirting with the Big Ten."
The description of the B12 as dysfunctional may be understating things. I read on a Cornhusker blog within the last month that Nebraska has been pissed at the B12 since the beginning, and Tom Osborne was quoted as stating that the conference has consistently ignored Nebraska's concerns about a variety of issues. Now it seems that Mizzou's devotion to the conference has always been a bit iffy.
I know that large public institutions are not the same thing as individual people, but ultimatums can sometimes have the opposite effect from what's desired if the people on the receiving end of the ultimatum are 1) pissed already, 2) aren't getting their concerns addressed, and 3) have options enabling them to tell the ultimatum-issuer to fuck off.
What I'm curious about is whether the B12 privately is doing anything to address the inequities in the revenue distribution. In other words, the UT-dominated B12 has just made their stick very public; where's the carrot for Mizzou, Neb, and the other conference teams not named Texas and Oklahoma?
FWIW, my next-door neighbor is from Columbia and is a huge Mizzou fan, and he says that from an academic standpoint, the Missouri administration people would absolutely jump at the chance to join the B10. He did say, though, that the fundamental issue is money, and that dollars will ultimately drive Missouri's decision.
Just as a fr' instance, I'm curious what the reaction of MGoBloggers would be if the B10 expansion was limited to Missouri. Anger? Disappointment? Joy? Boredom?
Boredom.
might be more pleased, as there has been a long-standing rivalry between the two schools).
I still think that this, from the start, was targeted at getting Notre Dame. But obviously, it is a lot more than that now.
Notre Dame still makes the most sense, and I would be happy about their addition. But I think I would be just about as happy with Nebraska.
I was never thrilled with Texas; they just don't make geographical sense to me, and I don't want their baggage. They controlled/dominated the Big 12, I certainly don't want for the Big 10.
I am also not thrilled with going past 12 teams, but it looks like this is now a likely scenario, as it now seems for the Pac 10 as well.
16 team superconferences are coming. The big ten might just offer missou now, but within a few years the Big 10 will be the Big 16.
If I had to guess, the intent of the ultimatum isn't to force MU and Nebraska to stay, it's to force them to decide and provide clarity to the rest of the Big XII. Stay or go, the other schools want to know where they stand.
If Missou and Nebraska won't pledge allegiance to the Big XII, it opens the door for all conference schools to begin executing contingency plans to leave the league.
I don't think this outcome is unintended.
i dont get it. are they gonna kick out mizzou and nebraska is they don't respond in time? and what's to stop them from (realistically) reaffirming the big 12 for now and then, when/if they get an invite, bolting anyway?
It means next to nothing. Except its kind of insulting.
Why would Texas want the Big 12 to dissolve? Life is pretty damn good for them.
They make more money than any school in the country, are the biggest fish in a decent-sized pond, and have an open route to the BCS and national title games?
It'd be like splitting two 10's playing blackjack.
Because the only thing bigger then the Longhorns Big Screen is their EGO! Texas woiuld dissolve the conference before it does what is best for it.
I want Nebraska to join the B10 if for no other reason the local cable here in Omaha will start carrying B10 network as a standard channel instead of having to buy a whole sports package deal to get it.
I posted a question on the Columbia Tribune regarding Missour football and its recruiting in Texas, and got a response from one Mizzou fan:
"It's become conventional wisdom that Missouri moving to the Big 10 would negatively impact Texas recruiting. However, if you look at it closer, nearly all the Texas kids Mizzou gets are lesser-recruited athletes that they're committing over the likes of Houston, SMU, Baylor, etc. Mizzou has never won recruiting battles over Texas or A&M. I personally don't see how that would change much, since so much of recruiting is built on trust and relationships with coaches, and while I'm not aware of Gary Pinkel saying anything to this effect, most people have swallowed the Big10-is-bad-for-recruiting premise without thinking about why.
As for this threat, it's becoming more and more apparent that Texas is the arrogant, loudmouthed, greedy lout responsible for destroying this conference. Were the Oklahoma schools not loyal (and redneck, backwater) lapdogs (and I assume the other Texas schools too), the ideal situation would be to throw Texas out of the conference and go on. This threat of going to the Pac 10, however, is just stupid, arrogant and totally reactionary. The travel in that proposed league would be killer. Texas would be better off going to the Big 10 by itself, which they won't do because they won't be able to control everything.
Just from a cultural standpoint, Missouri needs to get into the Big 10 to get away from exposure to these big hat-wearing, pompous rednecks."
Well, if the Big12 dissolves, then I guess we could just go to 12 and take over the name...
Na, f-it. Even if we go 16 I think we should stick with "Big 10" as our name. If going to 11 didn't change it, 16 shouldn't either.
I agree. Stick with the traditional name because of the class and heritage it represents. That, and the fact that it annoys people in other parts of the country that the Big Ten has more than 10 teams in it. I love getting under SEC folks' skin.
Nebraska is definitely on the Big Ten's radar for potential expansion, league sources have told ESPN.com, and the feeling apparently is mutual.
Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne met with Ohio State head football coach Jim Tressel on April 19, according to an e-mail Osborne sent to Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman on April 20. ESPN.com colleague Mark Schlabach obtained the e-mail through a records request to Nebraska.
"I think it would be a good time if we met sometime soon regarding the expansion landscape," Osborne wrote to Perlman.
GREAT!
If I remember right they met because Tressel was speaking at some NU event. It's not like Tressel flew to meet with him for the sole purpose of a meeting about expansion. But, can't hurt to have a relationship with Osborne already, not to mention that Bo Pelini is an OSU alum - which could certainly push him in the B10 direction. In addition to that Pelini is a stand up guy and one of the best, if not the best, defensive coaches in college football. He definitely runs a class act program that would fit in well in the B10 (and I could go see UM play them in Lincoln, 45min drive compared to 2½hrs to Iowa City for me, hurray!)