Alabama Fans Thoughts on Possibility of OU to the SEC

harleyspoon

BamaNation Citizen
Nov 12, 2012
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We keep having other SEC fanbases suggest that OU could be a possible addition to the the SEC west division. Curious about the Bama fans thoughts on such a possibility?

My own thoughts from an Aggie perspective and what we learned with all the recent Big12-2-1-1+2 turmoil are as follows:

1. The Oklahoma legislature is very unlikely to allow OU and OSU to migrate to different conferences. They insist that if OU departs that OSU have a secure landing spot and they do not consider the Big12-1-1+2 without OU a secure spot. Not likely to take one without the other. OU inquired in 2011 with the PAC and was told that they would be welcomed but only without OSU tagging along.

2. Oklahoma population is ranked 28th with 3.5M residents and growing. Ahead of Mississippi, Arkansas and not too far below Kentucky. Largest TV markets are OKC which is ranked 41st in country and Tulsa which is ranked 59th in country. Brand is good... but would it expand SEC TV footprint enough to justify dilution of TV revenue sharing? This compares to North Carolina ranked 11th with 8.6M population and Virginia ranked 12th with 7.6M population.

3. Big 12-1-1+2 supposedly has a 14 year grant of tier one media rights meaning that members are chained together unless something like 40% of schools leave. However, much of contract terms are redacted in the FOIA requests.

4. OU and OSU have very good football programs and OU is a solid brand. State is probably split 70% OU to 30% OSU from a tshirt fan perspective. Both schools could be a tough out in any given year. Both have very reputable basketball programs and baseball programs as well.

5. To the extent that academics matter in all of this...OU is ranked 101st by US News and OSU is ranked 139th and neither are members of the AAU.

My personal conclusion is that targets on eastern side of the conference seem to make much more sense from an economic perspective and that the western division currently has plenty of athletic respect and that little would be accomplished with the addition of these two.

What are Bama fans' thoughts on any possibility of OU/OSU in the SEC west division at some point in the future? Although not likely possible, would you want OU without OSU if you could get them?
 

RollTideMang

All-American
Oct 16, 2009
3,140
0
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St. Louis, MO
I wouldn't want them in the SEC personally. The West is already tough enough as it is with Bama, LSU, Arky (most years), Auburn (most years), and aTm with Ole Miss and MSU on the rise. Throw that schedule in with getting paired up with UT, UF, UGA, or USCe from the East, and your team is on murderer's row without worrying about an OU team to boot.
 

Crimson1967

Hall of Fame
Nov 22, 2011
18,711
9,897
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If they were to leave the Big XII, I think their best spot would be the Big Ten. They'd be able to revive the Nebraska rivalry and they feel more like a midwestern team than a southern one. They also have wrestling, a big sport in the Big Ten.
 

rgw

Suspended
Sep 15, 2003
20,852
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Tuscaloosa
I find it very unlikely that that OU has a future in the SEC if it requires taking Oklahoma State too. OSU has done a good bit to improve their program but the recent moves in the SEC show that they are uninterested in expanding from states where they already have a presence or taking two teams to get one media market. Television markets are driving expansion and I believe the SEC rather get two new markets with two additions rather than just one market by adding two teams.

OU seems like a fit in the mold of TAMU in this conference, but I just find it unlikely unless they could part ways with Oklahoma State.
 

TideEngineer08

TideFans Legend
Jun 9, 2009
36,258
30,841
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Beautiful Cullman, AL
No thank you. No thank you at all.

We don't need another football powerhouse. Oklahoma has virtually no big media centers; lower population. I'm not a fan of their cowering to Texas (their fans will deny it or defend it all day long, but the truth remains - they're tied to Texas's hip).

All in all there are several, several better additions. However, I'm no fan of expansion any further. Fourteen teams are plenty.
 

KrAzY3

Hall of Fame
Jan 18, 2006
10,615
4,540
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kraizy.art
Oklahoma offers very little to the SEC. I think North Carolina has much, much more to offer for example. I think any decent size state with a good basketball program offers more. For instance, I think Missouri is better for the SEC. Oklahoma is a football school in a small state, the SEC has more than enough of that to go around.

I think a lot of fans are just extremely short sighted. They just name what every football power comes to mind (Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia Tech, West Virginia) and don't tend to really think it through beyond that. For instance, no matter if you add Oklahoma or North Carolina, the SEC still has to have winners and losers. You can't win two national championships a year because you added Oklahoma, it's diminishing returns. If you add Oklahoma, either you damage their football brand, or you damage the football brand of existing SEC schools. You add Missouri, and what happens? Florida and Georgia look better.
 

rgw

Suspended
Sep 15, 2003
20,852
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Tuscaloosa
Krazy has always done a good job of reminding people of the issue of trying to expand from nothing but power schools. Yes, there will be winners and losers. Texas A&M has probably put Arkansas in an unfavorable position in the West already. A&M could legitimately challenge Auburn for historical pecking order 3rd spot in the West.

OU is going to change the pecking order even more...you could end up talking about relegating Alabama or LSU down a notch.
 

Go Bama

Hall of Fame
Dec 6, 2009
13,753
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16outa17essee
I'd love to see OU and OSU in the SEC but I rather see Texas and OU.

I think the four major conferences are going to 16 teams each with a playoff system, like it or not.

OU may not be in as populated a state as North Carolina, but the SEC is a football conference and North Carolina is a basketball school. Football fans nationwide would love to see an annual Bama/OU game. Texas rarely beats OU and the Red River Shootout is often the Red River Blowout.

If I wanted to add a team to the SEC my first call would be to Notre Dame. Of course they wouldn't take it, but they'd get the first call.
 

BamaBoots

1st Team
Dec 8, 2005
906
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Rocket City
I like OU and would like to have them. However North Carolina and Texas would bring bigger markets. If that's what it's all about.:BigA::):BigA:
 

GP for Bama

All-American
Feb 3, 2011
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I don't want anymore expansion....hard enough to win now.
But if we must----Virginia Tech and either North Carolina or North Carolina State.
 

TIDE-HSV

Senior Administrator
Staff member
Oct 13, 1999
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I think it would result in an eight team playoff system for the NC. The only problem is it would all be taking place in the SEC...
 

BAMA1979

All-American
Nov 15, 2006
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Mobile
I'd love to see OU and OSU in the SEC but I rather see Texas and OU.

I think the four major conferences are going to 16 teams each with a playoff system, like it or not.

OU may not be in as populated a state as North Carolina, but the SEC is a football conference and North Carolina is a basketball school. Football fans nationwide would love to see an annual Bama/OU game. Texas rarely beats OU and the Red River Shootout is often the Red River Blowout.

If I wanted to add a team to the SEC my first call would be to Notre Dame. Of course they wouldn't take it, but they'd get the first call.
...so why boost their ego even more by making the call and providing them with the opportunity to turn it down?
 

Sabine Free Sta

BamaNation Citizen
Jul 3, 2012
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0
I still like the idea of a conference with some geographical and cultural cohesion. I am a Southerner and I identify with the SEC. There ain't much South beyond east Texas and Arkansas. A&M is be working out just fine but Missouri has been a bit of a reach. The longhorns don't/won't ever fit with any conference and Oklahoma will be just another black hole to siphon off talent that they can't produce internally. If we must expand to 16, go east.
 

TIDE-HSV

Senior Administrator
Staff member
Oct 13, 1999
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Huntsville, AL,USA
I still like the idea of a conference with some geographical and cultural cohesion. I am a Southerner and I identify with the SEC. There ain't much South beyond east Texas and Arkansas. A&M is be working out just fine but Missouri has been a bit of a reach. The longhorns don't/won't ever fit with any conference and Oklahoma will be just another black hole to siphon off talent that they can't produce internally. If we must expand to 16, go east.
I tend to agree with this...
 

DocCrimson

All-SEC
Jan 3, 2010
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I would love to see us add UNC or NC State and UVA or VaTech if we're going to expand. Then slide Mizzou back to the west (an issue that drives me nuts) and things are more balanced all around. Then the ACC can pluck UConn and Cincy to (partially) right the ship after our raid. I'd prefer UNC and VaTech, but I imagine it would be difficult to pull UNC out of the ACC. NC State has a bit of the aTm little brother issue and might be more inclined to leave for greener (pun intended) pastures.
 

Snuffy Smith

All-American
Sep 12, 2012
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Huntsville, AL
I would love to see us add UNC or NC State and UVA or VaTech if we're going to expand. Then slide Mizzou back to the west (an issue that drives me nuts) and things are more balanced all around. Then the ACC can pluck UConn and Cincy to (partially) right the ship after our raid. I'd prefer UNC and VaTech, but I imagine it would be difficult to pull UNC out of the ACC. NC State has a bit of the aTm little brother issue and might be more inclined to leave for greener (pun intended) pastures.
I think UVA and UNC will end up in the Big10 leaving the SEC to bring in VaTech and NC State.


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