 Texas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M stay in Big 12
2010-06-14 20:50:00
Austin, TX (Sports Network) - The Big 12 is apparently set to move forward as a 10-school conference, as the exodus of its schools to the Pac-10 will not take place. Texas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M released statements Monday saying they will stay in the Big 12, while Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott also released a statement.
"University of Texas President Bill Powers has informed us that the 10 remaining schools in the Big 12 Conference intend to stay together," Scott's statement said. "We are excited about the future of the Pac-10 Conference and we will continue to evaluate future expansion opportunities under the guidelines previously set forth by our Presidents and Chancellors."
The announcements come several days after it was reported the Big 12 would lose Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State to the Pac-10. The conference has already had Colorado leave for the Pac-10 and Nebraska depart to the Big Ten.
"The decision to stay in the Big 12 represents a consensus position which resulted from a collaborative effort with our colleagues in the conference," said the joint statement from Oklahoma president David L. Boren and vice president/director of athletics Joe Castiglione. "We value the strong working relationship that has been reaffirmed during this process among the conference members. We intend to work very hard to make the conference as lasting and dynamic as possible. We appreciate the respect and interest that has been shown to OU during this process."
The University of Texas announced it will hold a news conference Tuesday morning to detail its decision to remain in the Big 12.
Texas A&M, which was reportedly considering a move to the Southeastern Conference, gave confirmation of its decision to stay through a statement from school president R. Bowen Loftin.
"Texas A&M is a proud member of the Big 12 Conference and will continue to be affiliated with the conference in the future," the statement said. "As Athletics Director Bill Byrne and I have stated on numerous occasions, our hope and desire was for the Big 12 to continue. We are committed to the Big 12 and its success today and into the future."
The Dallas Morning News reported that Big 12 schools and TV partners met Monday and worked on an arrangement that would persuade the schools to stay in the conference.
The paper reported Texas would have its TV rights revenue increase sharply in an arrangement with Fox Sports, likely netting the school more than $17 million on average.
The report also said Texas would be allowed to create its own sports TV network, which the school would not have been able to do once it joined the Pac-10.
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