Associated Press
NEW YORK ó Turned away by the Pac-12, the Big 12ís most powerful members are trying to find ways to live together again after weeks of hurtling toward a break up.
Texas President William Powers declared Wednesday that the Longhorns ó who receive more media money than other members of the Big 12 ó are open to a new revenue-sharing model and have already suggested that top-level television and cable money be shared equally.
Whatís not on the table is the money from Texasí 20-year, $300 million deal with ESPN to create the Longhorn Network, which has been blamed in large part for Texas A&Mís pending departure from the Big 12.
ěThatís never been in play, thatís not in play,î Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds said.
So with that line drawn in the sand, the Big 12 leadership has scheduled a key meeting Thursday, Oklahoma President David Boren said.
ěThe most important goal for the University of Oklahoma is conference stability,î he said. ěWe intend to support actions that will strengthen and stabilize the conference at the very important meeting of the conference board.î
The Pac-12 late Tuesday squashed any hope of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas Tech heading west in what surely would have been a death blow to the Big 12.
But the conference realignment wheels are still turning, especially with the Aggies planning to join the Southeastern Conference as soon as legal threats are out of the way.
ěCertainly the position of Oklahoma State and I think most of the schools, if not all, is that we want to add a 10th team,î said Oklahoma State president Burns Hargis, a member of the leagueís expansion committee. He listed TCU, Houston, SMU, BYU, Utah and Air Force among the potential expansion targets before saying ěweíve talked about a lot of ideas.î
The Big East, left with only six football members after Pitt and Syracuse announced plans to join the ACC, must also find a new way forward while the Mountain West and Conference USA are in discussions about a partnership.
East Carolina of Conference USA announced Wednesday that it has applied for membership in the Big East, where members are trying to rebuild after Syracuse and Pittsburgh accepted invitations to the ACC. Navy and Air Force are the top choices as football-only members, according to a person who spoke on condition of anonymity because the conference does not want to publicly disclose its plans.
Big East Commissioner John Marinatto said Syracuse and Pittsburgh wonít be allowed to leave until the 2014-15 academic year and he expects TCU to join in 2012 as agreed.