The SEC announced yesterday that the Univ. of Missouri will officially join the conference effective July 1, 2012, with competition to begin in all sports for the '12-13 academic year (SEC). MU Chancellor Brady Deaton said that the school and the Big 12 "have not settled on an exit penalty, but he does not expect any legal hurdles brought about by the Big 12 or its existing members to impede MU joining the SEC next year." Deaton: "While there's ongoing work to be done, we're confident we'll be able to successfully erase any concerns about those issues." SEC Commissioner Mike Slive said MU initiated the contact "very early during the football season." MU AD Mike Alden said that the school's decision to leave the Big 12 was "less about making more money in the SEC and more about equality and security." He "described the Big 12's insistence on members granting their media rights to the conference for a certain number of years as 'kind of like a prenup.'" Univ. of Florida President Bernie Machen, who is also president of the SEC presidents and chancellors, said that MU "will be 'a fully functioning member of the SEC' starting next year." Slive confirmed MU "will immediately take home the same share of league-generated revenue as current SEC members" (COLUMBIA DAILY TRIBUNE, 11/7).
NOT GONE YET: In Columbia, Harry Plumer notes the July 1 departure date "is a question mark at this point." According to a statement released by interim Big 12 Commissioner Chuck Neinas, Missouri "had yet to submit a letter of withdrawal to the Big 12 as of Sunday afternoon." Plumer notes MU will "play in the SEC East division" whenever the move takes place(COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN, 11/7). In St. Louis, Vahe Gregorian notes "between what MU might face in exit fees from the Big 12, what it stands to make in the SEC and what it will have to upgrade to compete in the SEC, money, too, is and will be a factor going forward" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 11/7). In K.C., Mike DeArmond notes Alden "promised a bigger commitment to expanding MU’s sports facilities and increasing travel budgets, which will have to accommodate longer trips to SEC campuses" (K.C. STAR, 11/7). SPORTING NEWS' Matt Hayes, who Saturday first reported the move was imminent, noted there are "numerous reasons the SEC and Missouri held off on announcing the news sooner, including Missouri’s negotiations with the Big 12 on exit fees." Another reason was that SEC administrators "wanted the league’s marquee game -- Saturday’s LSU at Alabama, No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup -- to be the focus of the news cycle over the last two weeks." MU, like Texas A&M, "will be a complete conference member from the day it is officially announced and will share equally in the league’s revenue." Meanwhile, Slive said that the SEC "will 'look into' restructuring contracts with television partners CBS and ESPN" (SPORTINGNEWS.com, 11/5).
WAITING TO SETTLE LAWSUITS: The POST-DISPATCH's Gregorian noted the negotiations between MU and the Big 12 "have centered around the timetable for departure and exit fees." MU's departure from the Big 12 "seems to have been complicated by the Big East intending to hold West Virginia for 27 months after notice, per Big East bylaws." West Virginia Univ. and the Big East "are in the midst of suing each other" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 11/6). ESPN.com's Andy Katz cited a source who said that MU "could have trouble getting out of the Big 12 because the league isn't sure if it can get the Mountaineers in from the Big East next season" (ESPN.com, 11/5). The Big East officially field a countersuit against WVU Friday for breach of contract, the league's attempt to "force West Virginia to adhere to the league's bylaws and give a full 27-month notice before withdrawing" (CHARLESTON GAZETTE, 11/5).
JOINT MOVE: In San Diego, Brent Schrotenboer cited a source as saying that San Diego State Univ. has been "in contact with Boise State about a possible joint move from the Mountain West to the Big East Conference." SDSU AD Jim Sterk "emphasized that the situation remains preliminary, fluid and undecided." He said that, "No offer has been made by the Big East to SDSU" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 11/6).
