Statement from Dr. Bernie Machen,
Chair, Southeastern Conference Presidents and Chancellors:
“The SEC Presidents and Chancellors met today and reaffirmed our
satisfaction with the present 12 institutional alignment. We
recognize, however, that future conditions may make it advantageous to
expand the number of institutions in the league. We discussed criteria
and process associated with expansion. No action was taken with
respect to any institution including Texas A&M.”
Mark Passwaters
AggieYell.com Managing Editor
A day after several media outlets
proclaimed Texas A&M's effort to join the Southeastern Conference
dead, the university's board of regents made a decision that moved the
Aggies a major step closer to joining the SEC.
During a meeting Aug. 15, the board unanimously authorized President R.
Bowen Loftin to negotiate with other athletic conferences and leave the
Big 12 if necessary.
"This is not so much about what's wrong about the Big 12, it's
about what's right for Texas A&M," he said.
Loftin ticked off several issues that he would consider in his decision
making process, including increased visibility for Aggie athletes and
television revenues. The most important issue, he said, would be
stability.
"The Big 12 went through major upheaval last year and this
year," he said. "If you look at the SEC, they have a better
record."
Loftin said that discussions with the SEC had been ongoing since
mid-July, which was the last time the board of regents met.
"(SEC) Commissioner (Mike) Slive and I have known each other for a
while. Recently, I talked to him at the Cotton Bowl ... and that was all
of it until July 21, after a meeting with this board," he said.
"At that time, I reached out to him by phone."
When asked if he had talked to other conferences beyond the SEC,
Loftin's response was succinct: "No."
Loftin said that the decision to switch conferences was a "100 year
decision" and would likely take some time to determine.
"I have the authority to move forward to negotiate ... over time.
The time is not limited," he said. When a follow up question asked
if there was a timeline, Loftin replied, "Not for me."
The A&M president said he was not anticipating any offer from the
SEC presidents and chancellors meeting Aug. 14 and wasn't bothered by
the statement after they finished their meeting.
"The SEC Statement speaks for itself; they're happy where they are,
but the landscape of college athletics is dynamic," he said.
If the Aggies were to leave the Big 12, Loftin made it clear the
university wanted to continue playing "our friends" at the
University of Texas in football, preferably on Thanksgiving Day. He also
said he believed the conference would survive without the Aggies in it.
"If we leave, there will be many other schools that will be happy
to replace us," he said.
