A&M President and AD address Aggies' commitment to SEC
Texas A&M President Katherine Banks on Saturday released a statement in which she confirmed Texas A&M’s commitment to the Southeastern Conference.
There has been backlash and emotional reactions since last Wednesday when news surfaced that the SEC would add Big 12 refugees Oklahoma and Texas.
Some reports suggested A&M might even look to leave the SEC. In a statement, President Banks made it clear that is not the case.
“That last few days have been challenging in many ways, and I recognize that change in college athletics often is unsettling for those who love their institutions,” Banks said in the statement. “Rest assured, the chancellor (John Sharp), our athletic director (Ross Bjork), and I and everyone involved in this matter are focused solely on what is best for Texas A&M University.
“Since 2011, we have been a proud member of the best intercollegiate athletic conference in history, and we look forward to continued success in our SEC partnership of many years to come.”
At this point, it’s uncertain when Oklahoma and Texas would leave the Big 12 and join the SEC. Speculation is that it could come as early as 2022. However, the additions could be delayed until 2025 because of Big 12 contracts.
The addition of Oklahoma and Texas could substantially boost SEC television contracts and the annual pay-outs to each member institution. Last year, SEC schools received $45.5 million each.
With Texas and OU as members, the payout is projected to soar past the $54.3 million that Big Ten teams reportedly received in their last fiscal year.
The news of the impending additions, which according to reports could happen as early as this week, was met with anger by seemingly the majority of Aggies.
When A&M joined the SEC a decade ago, then-SEC Commissioner Mike Slive and then-A&M President R. Bowen Lofton were said to have a “gentlemen’s agreement” where A&M would remain the only SEC institution in the state of Texas.
However, Slive died in 2018, and Lofton is no longer in that position.
“We knew this day could happen and probably would happen,” Bjork said on Saturday. “We’re all surprised at the speed of it. As far as we’re concerned, the process and produces are in place in making sure (A&M’s) interests have been brought forward.
“The SEC is in position to lead. College athletics is changing and evolving. I know other people are interested in joining. That’s not surprising. We feel like in the state of Texas, we’ve paved the way for that.”
Amid issues primarily with Texas, Texas A&M bolted from the Big 12 and joined the SEC in football in 2012.
A&M had grown weary of Texas’ overwhelming influence in the Big 12. Texas had insisted on uneven revenue distribution, created the Longhorn Network and even tried to reach a deal to join the Pac-12 without consulting the other Big 12 programs involved.
Bjork said no individual team has that much power in the SEC.
“The culture of an athletic conference is a priority for Texas A&M,” Bjork said. “Culture, collaboration, equality, competition … those things make the SEC the best conference in college sports. You’ve got to protect that and grow that. Being in the SEC 10 years, I’ve learned that.”
Although Texas A&M has previously refused overtures from Texas to renew the football series Texas canceled in 2011, Bjork said the Aggies will embrace the competition.
Last football season, the Aggies finished 9-1, won the Orange Bowl and were ranked No. 4 in the final national polls.
Bjork said the A&M athletic program as a whole is ready for anything.
“We're stronger we’ve ever been,” he said. “We have over 550,000 former students. We’re on the cusp of CFP. We have Olympians. Our women’s basketball teams were conference champions.
“At the end of the day, the bottom line is whoever joins our conference, we’re ready. The 12th man is ready. We’re ready to embrace whatever competition that is.”
Adding OU and a team in the east would have imploded Texas.
Let's not sound so weak though
Morons!
II wish for real leadership like Dr. Loftin brought to A&M.
Winning football is not the point.dc509 said:
It's going to be fine. It's not liked they stopped playing football when we joined the SEC. They've just sucked. We're in a great spot with them or without them in the SEC. Bring it on.
Either way, the message is pretty clear. Texas is more important to the SEC than we are. All that talk about how we were a better cultural fit and that the SEC was soooo glad to have us was apparently crap. The only conclusion is that our administration is extremely stupid, extremely gullible, or extremely obedient.
And all of you that are just fine with it, and want to just "bring it on" make me want to puke. Being in a different league than Texas for the past 10 years was like finally divorcing an abusive spouse and enjoying life. And now having them in the same league again is like opening up the front door and seeing that same sick spouse saying "I'm baaaaack!"
Loftin was a leader and visionary while the leadership now is Bush league.
Got milquetoast?
So the expansion was baked into the ESPN bid for OTA and probably included a kicker of $8.8 million per team for cooperating with adding the two schools.
We are 10 years into the LHN's 20 year contract and the additional amount is conveniently $149.6 whih is half the $300 million contract with Texas. I will guess Texas us separately being bought out for a similar number since there was an escalator and the average was $15 per year but not the scheduled amount per year.
Fun and games with arithmetic!!!
If we don't immediately petition for fsu, Miami, Clemson, Louisiana, Ga Tech and Louisville in the conference, heads need to roll.
I have no reason to believe any of those three have the hutzpah that Bow tie did in dealing with these types of folks. Sure wish he was still here
right? right?
Add OU plus another solid program to the SEC...
Clemson?
Notre Dame?
Virginia?
Virginia Tech?
Lots of better alternatives that expand the SEC's geography, fan base and potential for TV $$$
Let arrogant TU and ESPN go down in flames along with their Longhorn Network!
alamogeorge said:Winning football is not the point.dc509 said:
It's going to be fine. It's not liked they stopped playing football when we joined the SEC. They've just sucked. We're in a great spot with them or without them in the SEC. Bring it on.
Winning football is the only point. They might have the biggest brand in college football. If they wanted to join they were always getting in. I don't want to hear about any gentleman's agreement. This doesn't relegate us to second class status. Some of you need to chill out. Your reactions are really reenforcing this whole little brother thing.
The fans forced the move to the SEC. And then rewarded the move. This is pure bureaucrat power. And only Sharp behaves like that at Texas A&M.
Just pathetic.
https://giphy.com/gifs/IAa9FtRqdxZYY
Now it's "Mind if we join you?"
Unbelievable hypocrisy, then I remind myself we are dealing with diva-queen Texas--where none of that matters, only what's best for them at the moment.
Lofton wouldn't have rolled over and neither would have Bill Byrne or Woodard.