Breaking: Oklahoma, Texas Officially Moving to SEC in 2024
The realignment move that rocked the college sports world in 2021 finally has its official date.
Per an announcement from the Big 12, Oklahoma and Texas will make their highly anticipated transition to the SEC in the summer of 2024 — completing one more full academic year in the Big 12 before making the move.
“As I have consistently stated, the Conference would only agree to an early withdrawal if it was in our best interest for Oklahoma and Texas to depart prior to June 30, 2025,” Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark said in a release. “By reaching this agreement, we are now able to accelerate our new beginning as a 12-team league and move forward in earnest with our initiatives and future planning. I appreciate the approaches of OU President Joe Harroz and UT President Jay Hartzell to ensure an amicable conclusion to this process, and look forward to the bright days ahead for the Big 12 Conference.”
First announced in the summer of 2021, the Sooners and Longhorns’ conference change to the SEC has been slated to commence once their current rights agreement with the Big 12 expires in 2025.
But all parties involved have worked tirelessly in the years since to try and work out a scenario that would allow the schools to leave that agreement early and still appease both the conference as well as the league’s television partners.
That agreement has finally come on Thursday, with Oklahoma, Texas, the Big 12 and its broadcast partners coming to a solution all groups are comfortable with — a solution that will allow the Sooners and Longhorns to begin competing in the SEC in the fall of 2024.
This means OU will take part in one more complete academic year in the Big 12 in each of their NCAA-sponsored sports before making the transition officially.
"Finding a satisfactory resolution to this matter that is fair to all parties, and best positions the Big 12 moving forward has been a top priority," commented Texas Tech University President and Big 12 Conference Board of Directors Chairman Lawrence Schovanec. "This agreement would not have occurred without the collaboration of the presidents and chancellors of all 10 Big 12 universities, and our tremendous partners at ESPN and FOX. I am very grateful for everyone's efforts to make today's announcement possible."
“We are grateful to Commissioner Yormark and Chairman Schovanec for their concerted efforts to carve a path forward that allows us all to move ahead with clarity and certainty," Harroz said in a statement. "With the new era of collegiate athletics fully upon us, an opportunity emerged for all parties involved to explore the value of an early departure.
"These terms further guarantee the sustainability, stability, competitiveness and excellence of us all. The exciting matchups and passionate rivalries of the past quarter century will always be a celebrated part of our shared history. We look forward to showcasing that intensity this season, next season and beyond.”
"We have always been committed to fulfilling our contractual obligations to the Big 12. The collegiate athletics landscape has continued to evolve rapidly, and working together to accelerate our exit produced benefits for all parties," said Jay Hartzell, UT President. "The Big 12 has been a respected partner for nearly three decades, and we look forward to a final season of spirited competition with our friends and rivals. I appreciate Commissioner Yormark's and Chairman Schovanec's thoughtful approach and the collaborative work toward a solution that prioritizes the best interests of all institutions."
“The Southeastern Conference learned today of the decision by the Big 12 Conference to alter the membership exit date for the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said in a statement. “We are continuing our preparation for this membership transition, and we look forward to welcoming the conference’s new members and moving into our future as a 16-team league.
“The presidents and chancellors of the SEC previously voted with unanimous approval to accept the application of Oklahoma and Texas to join the conference on July 1, 2025, and have now authorized the conference office to proceed with facilitating the transition of Oklahoma and Texas to become full members of the Southeastern Conference on July 1, 2024.”
Also, specifically in football, it portends the 2023 edition of the Bedlam football game as the last for the foreseeable future, as both Oklahoma and Oklahoma State have stated that the series will not continue once the conference realignment takes place.
The move is still subject to the final approval of the OU and UT governing boards. Compensation to the conference for the early withdrawals totals $100 million, which Oklahoma and Texas will be able to "partially offset with future revenues."
AllSooners will continue to provide more details about this evolving situation as they become available.
