Regardless if the rumors are true, Texas A&M is in a great position to leverage their agenda. If you think for one second high ranking Aggie officials are upset about the rumors of an ”imminent” jump to the SEC, think again. The more chatter about a possible relocation to another conference gives Texas A&M great negotiating power, and here’s why. A&M knows that bringing the Texas market to the SEC is a slam dunk for Mike Slive. On the Big 12 side, the Aggie brass has been leading the charge against the Longhorn Network. They were able to force a vote of the other conference schools not named the University of Texas to place a moratorium on the network airing high school games.
Right now Texas A&M is the glue keeping the Big 12 together, and not Texas. Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe has resigned to the fact that the Texas ship has sailed. He bought a year to figure out what he can do to salvage the conference. Beebe knows that A&M holds the one ticket to make that possible, thus placating to the Aggie on the forced vote on the Longhorn Network . This is a blessing in disguise for Texas A&M AD Bill Byrne. For the first time in the school’s history they no longer need to ride the coattails of Texas. They already know that the divorce is going to happen, so the school has placed themselves in an advantageous position. They may not end up with a mansion, but they will get the summer home, the yacht, and a Benz.
They can save the Big 12 and benefit off a renegotiated TV contract which gives them a larger share of the pie. Or they can move to the SEC, who will welcome them with open arms and give them a nice slice of a new contract that includes the Texas market. It will all break down to mathematics for the Aggies. Either way they have the hand in this game of Texas Hold-em, and it is up to them whether to screw it up.
But again folks, this is all just speculation.
Ari Russell
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