Big 12 Contacted Arkansas About Changing Conferences

I don't think Arkansas has ever been a good fit with the SEC. Wouldn't be a bad switch --- Arkansas to the Big 12 and A&M to the SEC.

 

As an Arkansas fan, I can say that I don't think anyone wants to go back to a league with Texas in it. A league containing Texas is inherently unstable because Texas will always demand a disproportionate share of the revenues and sweetheart deals (like the Longhorn network). The SEC has equitable revenue sharing, and it is not culturally dominated by one or two teams.

Additionally, the Big 12 is on its death bed. The LAST thing the Razorbacks want to do is to leave a solid, growing conference to jump on a sinking ship. After the Big 12 collapsed, Arkansas would have nowhere to go. The SEC certainly wouldn't take Arkansas back.

 

Well, Arkansas had to go somewhere after the SWC folded, and the SEC was an awful good landing spot, if you ask me. The basketball portion of the conference ebbs and flows from time-to-time, but the football portion is always the best conference in the USA. What is it, five or six national champs in a row in FB??? They should have beaten OSU last year, but the NCAA didn't want to lose face and see all of the best OSU players sit out of the BCS bowl game, so they dropped the ball by suppending them the first fives games this year.

Arkansas would be foolish to go anywhere else, if you ask me. If I have it correct, the SEC is one of the most lucrative conferences in america. I do not see them going anywhere, but again, this is just MHHO.

 

I agree!! Colorado and Nebraska have left already. Texas A & M, if Baylor quits their crying, is heading to the SEC. Why would any major university want to jump from a preeminent conference and jump onto a sinking ship. I saw where Oklahoma would probably join the PAC 12, if I heard that correctly. It's a matter of time before the BIG 12 sinks quicker than the Bismarck.

 

Bama fan here - I am glad to have Arkansas in the SEC even though they have been a difficult opponent for Bama. I think they fit right in with the SEC ethos.

 

From a better fit, this is what I meant --

Historically, they were previously in the SWC which is the predecessor to the Big 12. So they do have a history there.

Geographically, they are much closer to the Big 12 Universities -- Missouri, Kansas State, Kansas, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, etc.

Competitively, they might do much better. They were much more successful in the old SWC. They last won an SEC title in 2004 (baseball) and only three titles in any sport since they joined.

But I agree, the almighty dollar will keep Arkansas in the SEC.

 

You folks have owed Ar. for years. They gave you the Bear as a player and coach. Hard game from time to time is well worth the Bear!!!

 

Plus, my son is a fan of the piggies so I have adopted them for peace in the family ;-). Seriously, I like them. Glad they are here.

 

If any team is going to join the sinking Big 12, it won't be a school that is firmly implanted in a strong BCS conference. That probably doesn't leave enough possibilities for the Big 12 to be still be around in 2-3 years. Colorado St.? BYU? UTEP? ... these might have a big enough fan base to invite, but I don't see any that would 'save' the conference. Others in the general region-- Tulsa, Lousiana Tech, North Texas, SMU, Colorado St.-- likely wouldn't help.

 

According to T. Boone Pickens last night during the OK State game, he expects everything to resolve itself within the next week or two. He also stated that his preference and - at the end of the day - his prediction is that the Big 12 will hang together -- probably within A&M.

The likely successor is BYU. I don't think any of the others mentioned would be a likely choice. From what I've read, some Texas institutions are interested, but it seems that the B12 is more interested in expanding outside the state.