Big 12 deputy commissioner justifies Texas leaving for the SEC with a cheeky response: "They would rather beat by Alabama"
The Big 12 has not been afraid to give some parting shots to the Texas Longhorns before they leave for the Southeastern Conference at the conclusion of the season.
Big 12 deputy commissioner Tim Weiser made sure to leave some salt in the wound to Texas with his comments.
"I continue to maintain the choice Texas made wasn't a financial one because we all know what the Texas resources are like. I think their (decision) was more about affiliating with ta group of schools that on a gien Saturday.
They would rather get beat by Alabama than Kansas State or Florida than Iowa State. That was really driving the way they looked out down the road."
He also addressed the Oklahoma Sooners leaving as well. However, Weiser did not give them the same respect.
"I think they (Oklahoma) were more of what I would call a 'reluctant bride'. That kind of felt like, 'if we don't go, what happens to the Texas-OU football or basketball game?' I kind of felt like if I was in Oklahoma's (position), it wwould've been hard for me not to think about the long-term."
The two programs were expected to leave in 2024 but the two programs agreed to an early exit agreement. They paid withdrawal fees of $100 million total to join the SEC a full season earlier. Weiser has been the deputy commissioner of the conference for 15 years.
Why is the Big 12 taking shots at Texas and Oklahoma?
The Big 12 definitely were not fans of the two programs leaving the conference to go join the SEC. As stated earlier, the two universities paid around $50 million each to join a full season quicker than if they waited until 2025.
For Tim Weiser to claim the financial advantages of the two conferences not being a huge factor feels disingenuous. When looking at the media rights deals of the two conferences, the SEC has signed a $3 billion deal while the Big 12 has a $2.3 billion deal.
That $700 million is not anything to sneeze. In the world of college sports, that is the difference of keeping some other sports afloat.
If you look at it in terms of just college football, the exposure of being with the likes of Alabama, LSU and Georgia is better than being towards the top of the Big 12. The bitterness is expected by Weiser but should not be taken too seriously.