SEC expansion may be a guise for Texas flexing business muscle

 

The Southeastern Conference is set to become the first super conference in the NCAA, if a recent report from the Houston Chronicle is to be believed.

Brent Zwernaman penned the exclusive report about the potential move of Big 12 heavyweights Oklahoma and Texas to the SEC.

As expected with such reporting,  Oklahoma, Texas and the SEC peddled the usual public relations, political "we can neither confirm nor deny your report" line.

Reports claim both schools are set to inform the Big 12 of intent to leave.

This move would be a landmark move in NCAA football, but it leaves a multitude of questions.

From a brand standpoint, it gives the SEC two more historical blue bloods, further expands the TV market into Texas and Oklahoma and adds two of the more profitable properties. 

For the two schools, it is a smart business move for them to get in on the SEC profit sharing. 

For the purists, this also reignites the Texas vs. Texas A&M rivarly. 

But, this begs the question what teams in the league would up vote this move? At this point, the league reflects politics more than athletics. Why would Alabama and LSU vote in two top flight programs, even though the SEC already enjoys a perception of being the top conference?

Also, Texas A&M cited Texas' influence in the Big 12 as a big reason why they joined the SEC.

And, why would schools such as Arkansas, Ole Miss and Mississippi State vote for two more members to make their road harder?

If we fantasy book this new alignment, Auburn seems to be a beneficiary, would likely move to the SEC East and get away from Alabama, Texas, LSU and Oklahoma and instead face a weaker East where Georgia and Florida are better matchups.

While this move benefits Oklahoma greatly, this may all center on Texas.

It is no secret they are the driving force in the Big 12. They hold huge political sway, and don't have to share revenue from the Longhorn Network. This also angers the rest of the league, mainly Oklahoma.

This may be a joint business effort for both to improve their financial standings in the league. Texas may want to renegotiate its deal to further its monetary standing and secure its political interests, while Oklahoma wants to get a sweeter deal to no longer play second fiddle to Texas, as they have been better than the Longhorns the last decade. 

If both leave, that likely kills the Big 12, or at the least drops its perception to a Group of 5 league. All the pressure is now on the Big 12 to either acquiesce to demands, or see its two biggest money-makers walk out the door.

These talks may be as on the surface, and I may be scraping egg off my face while I microwave my heaping helping of crow, but this feels more like hardball business negotiations by two schools hoping its league blinks first.