I KNOW, I KNOW
This article by Pete Thamel gives good insight on what really went on at the Big 12 meeting tonight.
Read the messages in the tweets. Missouri still may leave the Big 12.
PeteThamelNYT Pete Thamel
My story on Big 12 dysfunction in the post-Beebe era. Door still ajar for Mizzou's B12 exit to the SEC.
Click here for link25 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply
PeteThamelNYT Pete Thamel
MT @Dave_Matter: Deaton asked, if Big 12 issues can't be fixed, could MU leave: "That’s a hypothetical that could occur."
1 hour ago Favorite Retweet Reply
PeteThamelNYT Pete Thamel
Boren's mouth started this mess by saying publicly OU needed to explore its options. And now he's continuing it. Good luck, Chuck Neinas.
1 hour ago Favorite Retweet Reply
PeteThamelNYT Pete Thamel
After a confusing night, this much is clear. Missouri hasn't signed their rights away, and the door remains ajar for them to go to the SEC.
1 hour ago Favorite Retweet Reply
Here is Thamel's article about conference meeting:
Click here for linkThe dysfunctional family that is the Big 12 Conference appears to be headed for a respite from its flurry of infighting, flirtations and general disagreements.
On a conference call Thursday night, the presidents and chancellors of the Big 12 colleges committed to stay together again — much as they did last year — and also accepted the resignation of Commissioner Dan Beebe.
But there was a mixed message on the biggest news of the night.
According to the Oklahoma president, David Boren, the Big 12 leaders agreed to a six-year deal to pool their most lucrative television rights, known as a grant of rights.
The agreement means that if a Big 12 member jumps to another league in the next six years, the conference would be able to maintain the television rights to that member’s most lucrative games.
While one Big 12 official called it “an agreement in principle,” others said Boren’s announcement seemed premature. Some Big 12 colleges must get the approval of their boards before they can move forward with their grant of rights.
Similar agreements are the foundations of the Big Ten and Pacific-12 and could ensure a long life for the oft-troubled Big 12 because a six-year agreement would put the conference through the expiration of its ESPN contract, which ends in five years. Any future television deal would be expected to include a grant of rights through the length of that new contract.
Boren said the grant of rights was much stronger than an exit fee as a device to keep the league together. “We feel extremely good about the results of this meeting,” he said.
But the Missouri president, Brady Deaton, the chairman of the Big 12 presidents, told reporters in Missouri that there was no agreement on a grant of rights.
A Missouri spokesman said in an e-mail, “It’s my understanding that there was no agreement, the agreement was to pursue that as a potential outcome.” The spokesman later confirmed with Deaton that “there was no agreement.”
While there was much confusion on the grant of rights issue, it was clear that Missouri had not signed its rights over yet and the door is left ajar for it to go to the Southeastern Conference.
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