Big 12’s Bob Bowlsby sticks to 4-year timeline for Texas, Oklahoma, ‘disappointed these discussions went as far as they did’
By Keith Farner
Published:
Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby is letting his feelings be known about Texas and Oklahoma’s pending move to the SEC, which became more official on Thursday when league presidents and chancellors voted unanimously to invite the Longhorns and Sooners to the league.
He’s now issued another statement that he is “disappointed these discussions went as far as they did” without informing other league members. One of the more contentious aspects shaping up in the course of the transition is when the schools would leave the Big 12. As it stands today, there is a four-year expectation tied to the TV rights deal, and any move before then would come with a substantial exit fee.
Yet Bowlsby earlier this week got into a back-and-forth with ESPN over a “cease and desist” letter to ESPN claiming the network was conspiring to merge the AAC with the remaining eight members of the Big 12. In a response, ESPN dismissed his claims.
This is likely only the beginning of legal wrangling, and issued statements and letters from commissioners, lawyers and university presidents about this issue before it is settled.
Big 12 says tonight of Texas and OU that the league is “disappointed these discussions went as far as they did” without informing other league members. pic.twitter.com/K9Hac0S8hm
— Brian Davis (@BDavisAAS) July 29, 2021
A former newspaper veteran, Keith Farner is a news manager for Saturday Down South.
