Northwestern Rivals strikes again: Texas/B1G rumors

• gorocks99

  

  Tonight, the University of Texas president Bill Powers co-authored a letter of intent with the Big Ten conference.
  
  The key terms include:
  
  - the University of Texas will in good faith conduct discussions with the Big Ten conference and no other conference related to its post-2012 conference affiliation
  - the Big Ten will not invite any other institution to join the conference without the prior approval of Texas
  - before joining the Big Ten, Texas will have assurances that it can schedule four non-Big Ten conference football games per season
  - the requirement that any final arrangement be designed to increased revenues among all Big Ten conference schools, with no discrepancies in distributions unrelated to television network distributions among conference institutions
  - Texas will become a full CIC member
  - Texas and the Big Ten will jointly approve any third party media arrangements related to Texas athletics moving forward
  - the goal that Texas participates as a full member of the conference beginning in the fall of 2014
  
  Texas' intentions with regard to the Big Ten will remain without official announcements until a specific group of universities, including the current Texas' Big XII schools, solidify their own conference affiliation status. Neither the Big Ten nor Texas wishes to be seen as the primary driving force in conference realignment.
  
  The decision of Syracuse and Pittsburg to join the ACC came unexpectedly to the Big Ten. Certain leaders of the conference remained uncertain that a similar unexpected action could take place on the heels of the meeting of the Texas Board of Regents, particularly given the lack of uniform communications between Texas stakeholders and the conference. These individuals no longer have such uncertainties.

  http://northwestern.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=57&tid=163241898&mid=163241898&sid=901&style=2
• vball10set

  smh
• krambman

  

  I know that this guy had broken a lot in terms of B1G realignment over the past few years and had been wing way more than he's been right, but I have a hard time believing this. If it is true though, it is earth shaking and is easily the biggest move in the entire expansion era.
• oberhaus

  

  I dont buy it. Texas was just at a meeting to solidify the Big 12
• j_crazy

  

  Never gonna happen
• SportsAndLady

  

  No conference will take Texas..well, besides the Big 12, but they're not really "taking" them.
• bigkahuna

  I don't want Texas. I could see them trying to pull the same crap in the B1G, then Michigan/OSU standing up and saying "You're not the big boy in the room; now sit the fuck down over there in the corner."
• Sykotyk

  

  I could see it. Texas knows they'd make more money from a Big Ten with them in it than being in the Big XII and getting their LHN money. It's the simple truth. The Big Ten network with Texas added to the league would truly go national on almost every cable network. There's just too many alumni from these big schools to ignore it. And the Big Ten network suddenly gets put on every cable lineup in Texas.
  
  The LHN would be dismantled into an expanded Big Ten Network (akin to ESPN2) as a league-wide second channel (not just the extra feeds for multiple games).
  
  The one requirement (4 non-conference games) is basically a statement they don't want a 9-game conference schedule. Considering they'll probably want to try and schedule Texas A&M and Oklahoma non-conference as much as possible, they need the extra wiggle room in the schedule.
  
  As for Texas okaying any future expansion: I don't see the Big Ten really rushing into things here anyways. This also opens up the fact that only 'big names' will be on the Big Ten radar. No hangers ons to try and get marketshare. If they get Texas, the Big Ten is THE national conference. SEC: regional, PAC-12: regional, ACC: regional. Big XII: regional.
  
  The Big Ten would be on the only conference that would truly span the country in market saturation, fan appeal, ratings, tickets, and, most importantly to them, power.
• the_system

  1. I really really don't want anything to do with Texas and their demands.
  
  2. Texas is currently sitting in their own little fiefdom where they make more money than the other members, PLUS get $20 million per year on top of that for the next 15 years with their LHN. They could easily generate 40-45 million just from TV with those combined, play in their own back yard and call all of the shots.
  
  So why would they leave?
  
  Well, current Big Ten members are up to around $25 million I believe. If Texas joins that would probably jump into the low 30's. So they will get 30ish million PLUS 20 more from their LHN. There is nothing short of killing the LHN that would make me feel better about them joining. It's still going to be a huge recruiting tool/advantage for them. If they can't have it, and all of the money from it, it makes no sense for them to leave the B12.
• Big Gain

  It could mean Billions for the B1G. By far the 2 largest alumni associations in the country.
• dlazz

  Texas must think Texas is the best thing since sliced bread.
• Classyposter58

  

  From a football standpoint it would be tremendous. Who wouldn't love to see more Texas/OSU games as the last 3 were pretty exciting. Texas/UM was also pretty great to watch in the Rose Bowl that one year so why not. The Big 10 has prided itself on tradition and getting Texas would be another great addition and the rivalry with them and Nebraska would continue. Also that may help sway ND to the conference as well, especially considering ND is in a tough spot with the Big East and their hockey association in the CCHA has dissolved too. Maybe the Big 10 would help stabilize their entire AD
• ts1227

  

  Any conference that takes on Texas and agrees to Texas' terms deserves to collapse.
• OneBuckeye

  

  http://www.argus-press.co.cc/
  
  So there is this.... don't know wtf argus press is.
  

  SOUTH BEND — With the current landscape of college football in disarray, The University of Notre Dame has decided to end its independence and join the Big Ten Conference. Under condition of anonymity, a high-ranking Big Ten official has confirmed that the Fighting Irish have applied to join the conference, as early as the 2013 football season. "We have been waiting a long time for this," said the official.
  
  Notre Dame, no stranger to conference membership, has been a member of the Big East since 1995 for all sports except for football, where it is independent, and Men's Ice Hockey, where it is a member of the soon ending CCHA. This will be a big blow to the Big East, having already lost conference members Pittsburgh, Syracuse, and potentially Connecticut to the Atlantic Coast Conference. Amidst rumors of "Super Conferences" of up to 24 teams if Conference USA and the Mountain West Conference merger takes place, the Irish decided to act swiftly in their application to the Big Ten before any potential vacancies are filled by Big XII schools Iowa State and Missouri. Pacific-12's recent decision to not expand put additional pressure on Notre Dame to join the Big Ten. Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas, and Texas Tech were rumored to seek inclusion in the Big Ten following the surprising announcement from Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott. "We feel this is the perfect time to end our football independents (sic)," a member of the Irish board of regents said in a reply to one of our texts.
  
  Although the Big Ten seemingly is a natural fit for the Irish, it is reported that they had explored joining other conferences such as the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Ivy League. The ACC declined interest in Notre Dame citing geographical concerns. Meanwhile, several sources within the Ivy League have confirmed Notre Dame's interest, but stated that concerns of competitive balance as well as academic issues were a major roadblock to their joining. "The Ivy League does not allow athletic scholarships," remarked one source close to the situation, "so Notre Dame would have to basically reconfigure their entire athletic department".
  
  Many students at Notre Dame were not surprised at this recent development, but it left them wondering what would happen to current rivalries. Concerns over the potential loss of traditional opponents Southern Cal and Stanford as well as annual matches against the service academies Army, Navy, Air Force, and the United States Coast Guard dominated conversation in South Bend on Tuesday.
  Big Ten Athletic Directors and University Presidents are expected to vote on Notre Dame as early as Monday

• karen lotz

  

  Your first clue that that is complete BS is the interest in the Ivy League.
• Crimson streak

  

  And the acc declining Notre dame lol that's a good one
• Fly4Fun

  

  karen lotz;916273 wrote:Your first clue that that is complete BS is the interest in the Ivy League.

  Absolutely correct. I find it funny that they had to find a source close to the situation to spell out that they don't allow athletic scholarships, which would be a huge block.
• Manhattan Buckeye

  karen lotz;916273 wrote:Your first clue that that is complete BS is the interest in the Ivy League.

  The second is calling Stanford a traditional opponent. Now they have played each other often since the late 80's, but Stanford is still far down the list in total number of games.
  
  And when does Notre Dame ever play the Coast Guard Academy in any sport?
• gorocks99

  

  Pretty sure by clicking on that link you're all getting viruses.
• karen lotz

  

  gorocks99;916808 wrote:Pretty sure by clicking on that link you're all getting viruses.

  Luckily OB posted the entire "article" so a click wasn't necessary.