It's done: SEC Extends Membership Invitations to OU & Texas

[FayetteDore]

As reported first by mnvandy in a different thread (I just think this needs its own thread):

From the SEC Office:
SEC Extends Membership Invitations to University of Oklahoma and University of Texas

https://www.secsports.com/article/31913 ... sity-texas

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (July 29, 2021) - The Presidents and Chancellors of the Southeastern Conference on Thursday voted unanimously today to extend membership invitations to the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas to join the SEC effective July 1, 2025, with competition to begin in all sports for the 2025-26 academic year.

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey communicated the invitations to the respective presidents of the two universities following today's videoconference meeting of the Conference's Presidents and Chancellors. The meeting was convened after the two universities submitted separate requests for membership invitations to the SEC on Tuesday, July 27.

"Today's unanimous vote is both a testament to the SEC's longstanding spirit of unity and mutual cooperation, as well as a recognition of the outstanding legacies of academic and athletic excellence established by the Universities of Oklahoma and Texas," said Commissioner Sankey. "I greatly appreciate the collective efforts of our Presidents and Chancellors in considering and acting upon each school's membership interest."

Today's actions are in accordance with SEC Bylaw 3.1.2, which authorizes the Chief Executive Officers of the Conference to extend invitations for membership if at least three-fourths of its 14 member institutions vote to approve.

[FayetteDore]

Exactly 8 days after the bombshell news first surfaced publicly, it's a done deal (assuming that Texas & OU "accept" their membership invitations and don't send their regrets instead, LOL). As I said in a different thread, it's pretty obvious this thing has been under discussion for weeks, if not months. Something this big doesn't happen in 8 days, even with this much money involved.

I know this is ridiculous to say but it's obvious that the opinions of rank and file alumni and fans don't matter in this. It's all about ESPN and the payout.

[charlestonalum]

Fayette, how do fans and alums lose in this deal? I don't feel like we are losing anything but instead gain good competition, and dollars in Vanderbilt's case to help get facilities the student athletes need.

[Versus75]

I've been to several road baseball games as far away as Phoenix, but not yet to A&M, Arkansas, Mizzou. This makes the average road trip a little longer and more road trips will be unreachable.

Friends and family of players in all of the sports will have increased travel expenses as well.

The players might miss a few more classes along the way. More extra-day travel plans and fewer short trips to Oxford, Starkville, Tuscaloosa, Knoxville, Lexington and Athens.

By adding more teams, the conference has diluted regular rivalries; fewer teams can be played on a regular basis. The Baseball schedule, for example, currently has Vanderbilt playing only 10 of the other 13 teams. Will we go to playing only 10 of the other 15 teams in 3-game series ... or copy the Big Ten with games in neutral-site pools of 2-game round robins?

But the increased money will make up for all of that. Maybe the SEC can attract some other big names like Florida State, Clemson, Ohio State and Michigan.

[mtnvandy]

I wld prefer SC & Ark be shed from the SEC and we return to the 10 team league of my undergrad days ( late 80s).

The travel time is not conducive to student athletes esp in sports like hoops where you have frequent midweek conference games.

Not sure how division play & schedule rotation will work, but when a 4 year player does not ever play multiple teams, it makes it hard to consider it a conference.

Oklahoma brings relatively few new tv viewers to SEC.

Texas already in SEC media market. Always assumed no new school wld be added from state w/ one SEC team in deference to that one school. Eg no FSU or Clemson.

Not sure I live to see it, but think this is a significant step toward a splinter conference breaking off from SEC. Who, when & how- no idea. But think, sooner or later 6-8 schools will decide to start over.

Regards,

MtnVandy

#BeatBucs

[FayetteDore]

Fayette, how do fans and alums lose in this deal? I don't feel like we are losing anything but instead gain good competition, and dollars in Vanderbilt's case to help get facilities the student athletes need.

Charleston, although I didn't say that fans and alums would lose, I'll grant that it's a fair inference from what I DID say -- that their interests weren't considered. Many of the threads since this surfaced address this from a fan perspective (and from the student athletes' perspective too). But without some attempt at gauging it, who can say whether fans are positive or negative or somewhere in between on this. Not that it would have mattered.

It's probably a good thing that not even a pretense of fan consideration was made. No dishonest lofty statements about the interest of fans and alums, even though their excitement makes the whole mammoth enterprise possible. Without fans in the stadiums and watching on TV, we'd have intercollegiate club sports, played in front of a few friends on intramural fields and courts.

[Doreknox]

Oklahoma brings relatively few new tv viewers to SEC.

Texas already in SEC media market. Always assumed no new school wld be added from state w/ one SEC team in deference to that one school. Eg no FSU or Clemson.

OK is more populous than the states of MS and Arkansas, and near LA, KY and AL in population.
TX has 29 million residents and certainly not all of them are ATM fans.

[FayetteDore]

And now Texas & OU have officially "accepted" the invitation:

From the official SEC announcement 10 minutes ago:
https://www.secsports.com/article/31921 ... rting-2025

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (July 30, 2021) - The Southeastern Conference today announced that the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas will become members effective July 1, 2025, with competition to begin in all sports for the 2025-26 academic year.
...
Oklahoma and Texas submitted requests for invitations for membership to the SEC on Tuesday. The Conference's Presidents and Chancellors voted during a meeting conducted by videoconference on Thursday to extend invitations to the two universities. Both universities' Boards of Regents officially accepted the invitations during meetings conducted on Friday morning.

...Thus effecting the fastest consummation of a billion-dollar-plus deal (over time) in the history of business.

[charlestonalum]

Fayette, how do fans and alums lose in this deal? I don't feel like we are losing anything but instead gain good competition, and dollars in Vanderbilt's case to help get facilities the student athletes need.

Charleston, although I didn't say that fans and alums would lose, I'll grant that it's a fair inference from what I DID say -- that their interests weren't considered. Many of the threads since this surfaced address this from a fan perspective (and from the student athletes' perspective too). But without some attempt at gauging it, who can say whether fans are positive or negative or somewhere in between on this. Not that it would have mattered.

It's probably a good thing that not even a pretense of fan consideration was made. No dishonest lofty statements about the interest of fans and alums, even though their excitement makes the whole mammoth enterprise possible. Without fans in the stadiums and watching on TV, we'd have intercollegiate club sports, played in front of a few friends on intramural fields and courts.

At the risk of continuing an unintended discussion: I cold be very wrong, but my guess is VU fans and alums will be happy to see Texas and Oklahoma play at the Dud - probably not than say Ole Miss, for example.