Sam Acho is positive that Oklahoma and Texas will be strong competitors in SEC. (1:16).According to the schools, Friday's announcement by the Texas and Oklahoma boards of regents unanimously approved the formal acceptance of an invitation to the SEC.The Sooners' move to the SEC was unanimously approved by the Oklahoma Board of Regents on Friday. This came just a few days after the Longhorns made the same decision. This closes a week of formalities and will eventually make the SEC the 16-team superconference.Jay Hartzell, Texas president, stated in a statement that "This is the right decision at a right time for our UT athletics programmes'.Next, it will be determined when and how the move will take place. Texas and Oklahoma released a joint statement Monday stating that they will remain in the Big 12 until June 30, 2025 when the current Big 12 media rights agreement expires. However, it is possible that the schools may try to leave sooner. To break the agreement, each university would need to pay penalties of $75 million to $80 millions.Hartzell stated, "We told Big 12 that we will honor our current agreement," Hartzell added. "While knowing that notice now is fairest to allow the conference plan for its future after 2025,"Joseph Harroz Jr., president of the OU, and Joe Castiglione, athletics director, said that OU would continue to honor its commitments to the Big 12 until June 2025.Castiglione stated, "After careful consideration and study, we realized that standing pat would be falling behind." It would put our program in a difficult financial and competitive position. We would have to catch up with our competitors.Harroz and Castiglione stated that they hope to continue the Bedlam rivalry against Oklahoma State after the Big 12 media rights agreement expires and that they will keep playing Texas in Dallas.Chris Del Conte (Texas athletic director), who declined to comment at this time, expressed his enthusiasm for the vote.Del Conte stated, "Today's an exciting day." There's lots of opportunity ahead, and we are excited about the future. As we enter Big 12 action this autumn, we will be as competitive as ever, striving for the title of champions on the field and representing the league with the passion and pride that exemplifies our Texas Longhorns. As we look to the future, we have a rich history and tradition. We will continue to compete as Big 12 members as we prepare for the SEC in 2025.Harroz Jr. stated that it was clear to the OU administration, that the Big 12 was "last to be dealt with" in media rights negotiations. Harroz Jr. noted that conference football games kick off at 11 a.m.Harroz Jr. stated that "it translates into disadvantages in recruitment of top talent and disadvantages for student-athletes, as well as a detriment the fan experience."The 14 SEC presidents/chancellors unanimously voted to invite Big 12 co-founders Oklahoma, Texas and Texas to join them.In a Thursday statement, Greg Sankey, SEC commissioner, stated that "Today’s unanimous vote is both testament to the SEC’s longstanding spirit of unification and mutual cooperation as well as an acknowledgement of the outstanding legacies of athletic and academic excellence established by The Universities of Oklahoma and Texas."Bob Bowlsby of the Big 12 accused ESPN of manipulating other conferences to pursue its members on Wednesday. He said that Thursday's SEC announcement "reaffirms" that these plans had been in the making with ongoing discussions between the parties.Bowlsby stated that he was disappointed with the outcome of these discussions. He also said that he did not include other Big 12 members in his statement. "Despite our concerns about the process and the overall health college athletics, both universities will do all they can to ensure that student-athletes have an enjoyable experience during the remaining four years.ESPN replied to Bowlsby's claims earlier Thursday by stating that it had "engaged no wrongful conduct."
