Big 12 Releases Statement Admitting Defeat At Hands Of SEC Expansion
The Big 12 Conference has confirmed that Oklahoma and Texas will not extend their grant of rights when the current agreement expires in 2025.
Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said the league’s “eight members are disappointed” with the decision of the two schools, but intends to “fully assess” the conference’s difficult future.
The news that Oklahoma and Texas will soon begin the process of joining the SEC first surfaced last week, and OutKick previously reported the programs are prepared to wait until the current grant of rights agreement expires in 2025 before moving on from the Big 12.
“Although our eight members are disappointed with the decisions of these two institutions, we recognize that intercollegiate athletics is experiencing rapid change and will most likely look much different in 2025 than it does currently,” Bowlsby said in a statement, per The Athletic. “The Big 12 Conference will continue to support our member institutions’ efforts to graduate student-athletes, and compete for Big 12 and NCAA championships. Like many others, we will use the next four years to fully assess what the landscape will look like in 2025 and beyond. The remaining eight institutions will work together in a collaborative manner to thoughtfully and strategically position the Big 12 Conference for continued success, both athletically and academically, long into the future.”
Officials from both schools have also stated that they intend to remain members of the Big 12 through the 2024-25 academic year, but at this point, it isn't known if that will happen.
Just days ago, Bowlsby tried to incentivize the programs to stay in the conference, OutKick previously reported. The proposal was set to increase the earnings of the two schools from the $37 million average that the other Big 12 schools receive to $56 million, a last-ditch effort that likely won't bear fruit.
According to a tweet from Pete Thamel with Yahoo Sports on Sunday night, the faltering conference has a message for the Longhorns and Sooners: if you’re done, say you’re done and don’t waste our time.
The Big 12 wants to make it work with Oklahoma and Texas, that part is obvious. But it is starting to look like a tragic breakup.
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