Texas and Oklahoma, the founding members of the Big 12, are leaving the league – and barring any unforeseen developments, will join the Southeastern Conference, a high-level source close to the situation told Horns247.
Texas and OU officials plan to inform the Big 12 on Monday that they won’t renew when the league’s grant of rights expire in 2025, a step that clears the path for the SEC to formally consider adding Texas and OU.
Again, barring unforeseen circumstances, an SEC vote on adding Texas and Oklahoma “could move quickly,” the source told Horns247.
“In this changing landscape of college athletics, this is what’s best (for Texas and Oklahoma),” the source said.
Horns247 reported previously that Texas and Oklahoma are prepared to wait until the current grant of rights agreement expires in 2025 before moving on from the Big 12.
To leave earlier, Texas and OU would be contractually bound to pay the Big 12 two years’ worth of revenue distribution (roughly $80 million each based on 2019’s $37.7 million payout per school) as a “buyout fee” and face millions more in penalties – although such situations in the past have been settled in court to allow both sides to move on.
