Texas A&M athletics director Bill Byrne wants to talk. Well, actually, he wants to write. But Byrne calls this talking (“Since we last talked ...”), so let’s go with talking. And the No. 1 topic at Texas A&M is the Aggies leaving the Big 12 to move to SomE Conference.
Texas A&M AD: I’m Not Talking About Realignment, But Blame Texas
The number one question I’ve received in recent weeks has been, “Why are you not talking about conference realignment?”
The decision was made, I think the right one, that we would have one voice for the University on this topic. That person is University President R. Bowen Loftin.
Which is why Bill Byrne is about to devote several hundred words to realignment. But only to make one thing absolutely clear: All of this is Texas’ fault.
We anticipate that ESPN will continue to push the envelope with the Longhorn Network, regardless of Texas A&M’s conference affiliation.
Really, who has ever thought of ESPN as a channel that would push the envelope on its entertainment ventures to generate geysers of cash with little regard to what effect that might have on the sports ESPN covers? On second thought, don’t answer that. As for the story that’s been circulating that Texas A&M had a chance to get in on the Longhorn Network on the ground floor? Sort of. But not really.
Three or four years ago we talked about doing a joint flagship channel. I liked the idea, but our fans should know me better than to think I would pass on a $150 million deal for Texas A&M. That never happened.
That leaves quite a few possibilities outstanding for what actually happened. But, hey, don’t get lost in the details. It’s all Texas’ fault.
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