SEC: OU and TX to join officially beginning July 1, 2025

[BrentVU]

SEC GRANTS MEMBERSHIP TO UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA AND UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS STARTING IN 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.

The addition of Oklahoma and Texas will bring the number of SEC members to 16 beginning July 1, 2025. Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Tennessee and Vanderbilt have been members since the formation of the SEC in 1933. The Conference has twice previously expanded, adding Arkansas and South Carolina in 1991, followed by Missouri and Texas A&M in 2012.

“The Presidents and Chancellors of the Southeastern Conference are pleased to welcome the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas,” said Jere Morehead, President of the University of Georgia and current President of the SEC. “Both universities are prestigious academic institutions with strong athletics programs similar in tradition, culture and success to our current member universities. We look forward to a productive and successful future together beginning in 2025.”

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.

“This is an important moment for the long-term future of the Southeastern Conference and our member universities,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. “Oklahoma and Texas are outstanding academic institutions with two strong athletics programs, which will add to the SEC’s national prominence. Their additions will further enhance the already rich academic, athletic and cultural legacies that have been cultivated throughout the years by our existing 14 members. We look forward to the Sooners and Longhorns competing in our Conference starting in the 2025-26 academic year.”

[AuricGoldfinger]

2025, they say?

There will be lawyers.

[commadore]

2025, they say?

There will be lawyers.

As soon as the Big 12 collapses, that will change.

[zhanglini]

ok guys. This is official.
From now on, UT=Texas, ut/uut=that thing in Knoxville.

[LawoftheWest]

The Big 12 Commissioner is now threatening to sue ESPN for tortious interference (a legal term) with their conference members. This will probably lead to litigation, to the benefit of trial lawyers (cynicism from a non-trial lawyer), generating huge legal fees. Of course ESPN will counter sue for defamation, or whatever.

I advise my clients to think though the consequences of filing suit. Sometimes the counter-suit wins.

[zhanglini]

The Big 12 Commissioner is now threatening to sue ESPN for tortious interference (a legal term) with their conference members. This will probably lead to litigation, to the benefit of trial lawyers (cynicism from a non-trial lawyer), generating huge legal fees. Of course ESPN will counter sue for defamation, or whatever.

I advise my clients to think though the consequences of filing suit. Sometimes the counter-suit wins.

whatever happens, GDP is increased

[BrentVU]

I may be wrong, but this seems a lot different from previous expansions. Back in the early 1990's, Roy Kramer went fishing for potential new members in order to expand the SEC to 12 and institute a championship game; he found Arkansas and South Carolina willing. This time it seems like Texas and Oklahoma were the ones that got the ball rolling; for Texas, it was envy of what Texas A&M was pulling down each year as a member of the SEC. Why settle for a mere $40 million per year in the Big XII when you could make $67 million per year (starting in 2024) in the SEC? So the two schools started sending out feelers.

For the SEC, the question was, does the addition of the two schools increase the value for the other conference members? Obviously, the answer was, "Yeah."

[MikenNashville]

Everyone seems to think it will be sooner than 2025, I'm thinking the percentage per year go like this:
2021 0%
2022 20% - 18 month waiting period to leave Big 12, lawsuits and the Big 12 TV contract keep this as a low chance option to me
2023 50% - I think this could happen if Big 12 folds by then after all the lawsuits and dust settles
2024 90% - SEC/CBS contract ends following 2023 season, ABC/ESPN will want the best match-ups for their billions
2025 - all new football world, SEC super conference (probably 4 by then with Iowa St and Kansas to Big 10, W Virginia and maybe Notre Dame to ACC, PAC is a big?) NIL in place for over a full college athlete's career, and expanded college football playoffs

[FayetteDore]

2025 - all new football world, SEC super conference (probably 4 by then with Iowa St and Kansas to Big 10, W Virginia and maybe Notre Dame to ACC, PAC is a big?) NIL in place for over a full college athlete's career, and expanded college football playoffs

And at that point, I'm going up the Mountain to Sewanee games. If I wanted to attend pro sports, I've had an option on the East Bank of the Cumberland for nearly 25 years.

You're welcome to my South End Zone season tickets.