Multiple sources this weekend have confirmed to me the plane Pac-10 Commissioner Larry Scott is using to visit the Pac-10’s expansion school candidates in Oklahoma and Texas the past 48 hours.
Here’s the most recent itinerary of the plane, owned by former Oregon Athletic Director Pat Kilkenny:
Saturday: Traveled from Concord, CA Airport (Pac-10 offices) to Will Rogers Airport - arriving in Oklahoma City at 12:15p CT. (Oklahoma, Oklahoma State)
Sunday: Arrived at Huntsville, TX Airport outside College Station, TX at 8:54a CT. (Texas A&M)
Sunday: Is scheduled to depart Easterwood Field (College Station Airport) For Lubbock Airport at 11:10a CT. (en route to Texas Tech)
These flight plans indicate the activity we described yesterday, which had Scott “hand delivering” invitations to the Texas and Oklahoma schools on behalf of the Pac-10.
Most interesting though is the visit to College Station, where Texas A&M officials are weighing the prospect of joining the SEC.
UPDATE: Scott’s plane has since departed Lubbock and has arrived in Austin.
Also, interesting to note that the same plane was in Salt Lake City on June 11. That could indicate a meeting with the University of Utah, which is a rumored expansion school candidate - particularly as a travel partner of new Pac-10 member Colorado.
Utah reportedly could join the Pac-10 if the Texas and Oklahoma schools do not join the Pac-10. Or if Texas A&M decides not to join its four, former Big 12 brethren in a move west.
UPDATE (Sunday, 8:14p ET):
George Schroeder of the EUGENE REGISTER-GUARD reports today that former Oregon Athletic Director Pat Kilkenny has confirmed that his personal, private jet is being used to “ferry” Pac-10 Commissioner Larry Scott to various cities that also happen to be the home of possible Pac-10 expansion candidate schools.
(A&M’s Wandering Eye Extending Expansion Process?)
Since June 11, Scott so far has visited Salt Lake City (Utah), Oklahoma City (OU, OSU), Lubbock (Texas Tech), Austin (UT) and College Station (A&M). The plane’s schedule is booked for an Austin-to-Kansas City flight on Sunday evening.*
The University of Kansas has been knocked around in the media as a possible Pac-10 expansion candidate in the past few days, especially as a replacement for A&M if the Aggies decide not to go west with the Texas and Oklahoma schools to the Pac-10.
*UPDATE (11:16p ET): The Pac-10 plane’s schedule has apparently either been changed, recently blocked or may involve a Monday flight.The Texas A&M Rivals site AggieYell.com is reporting Sunday evening that A&M has committed to joining the SEC. The Texas Rivals site Orangebloods.com reported the same earlier in the day.
But TexAgs.com, another credible Texas A&M site run by Billy Liucci, is reporting that the Aggies have still not decided what direction they will go. And Kirk Bohls of the AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN reports: “Texas sources say they have been told that Texas A&M is still considering both the Pac-10 and the SEC.”
As for the future of the Big 12, Mike DeArmond of the KANSAS CITY STAR reports late Sunday that the future of the league will allegedly be decided by Texas:
A source close to Big 12 Conference realignment negotiations has told The Star that chances for the league to stay together are “significantly greater than 24 hours ago.”
The same source said that a new television contract being touted by Commissioner Dan Beebe could produce “significantly more” than $17 million for each of the remaining 10 Big 12 schools. Perhaps upwards of $20 million per school.
And, that a departure penalty of around $20 million withheld from Colorado and Nebraska would mean $2 each to the remaining Big 12 members.
A source close to the realignment negotiations suggested that Texas - the key to league survival in its present form - would likely gain concessions for “getting to play the hero.”
It was concessions to Texas - for example in the form of uneven revenue distribution - on which an unstable foundation was laid when the Southwest Conference and the Big Eight Conference merged.
“There is a price,” the source said. “But the price is worth it, or its a price we have to pay.”
Since those media reports, Texas A&M President R. Bowen Loftin has released the following statement:
“As [athletic director] Bill Byrne and I have said on several occasions, our desire is for the Big 12 conference to continue. With the departure of two universities from the conference last week, the Big 12 is certainly not what it was.
We are aggressively exploring our options, one of which is for the Big 12 to continue in some form. We have also had extensive discussions with other conferences over the past two days. We continue to evaluate our options in a deliberate manner as we work toward a decision that is in the best long-term interests of Texas A&M.”
Loftin noting that “the Big 12 is certainly not what it was” certainly should send out warning signals to those who think the league can be saved.
UPDATE (Monday, 1:37p ET): The Pac-10 plane now has a flight plan departing Austin, Texas, at 12:55p CT and arriving in Stockton, California, at 2:23p PT.
If the flight plan of the plane is any indication, there was no trip to Kansas City and Scott may have concluded his trip.
4:27 pm on June 13th, 2010
Can we see the seat number on the photo of the ticket? That would be awesome. Such a cool looking itinerary.
7:49 pm on June 13th, 2010
What food are they serving on that flight?
7:58 pm on June 13th, 2010
All in the name of the almighty dollar. Just look at USC and see what is probably going to happen more and more as these conferences get bigger. What happened to LOYALTY? That’s right, it’s in the backseat, making out with ETHICS and MORALS! Pathetic!
8:29 pm on June 13th, 2010
I bet the lower echelon of the Pac will be overjoyed at being further relegated to obscurity. Their money increases but their chances of ever having their own day in the sun just went in the toilet. Its a shame that the college fan is never allowed any input in such decisions, all that is asked of them is keep those checks comin in so you can maybe get a shot at some end zone nose bleed seats that we cant get a premium from corporate america. Its gonna get like the NFL where team loyalty is directly akin to your latest job relocation instead of the long held tradition of alma mater and historical rivalries. Big 12 fell victim to a commish that didnt take corporate raider classes and trusted that his collegues at Pac and Big 10s would play fair.
9:19 pm on June 13th, 2010
Candidly, I’d rather have Utah than Texas A&M anyway. Utah is a highly regarded research institution with a world-class medical center. Furthermore, the school’s athletic profile better fits the Pac-10, particularly in non-revenue sports such as volleyball, gymnastics, soccer, etc. that Utah competes regularly in at a championship level.
The basketball program has been consistently solid, and the football program has maintained an enviable record the past decade under three different coaches. Perhaps if the school was part of a BCS conference, they might actually KEEP talented young coaches instead of watching them go off and win national championships at a BCS school.
The football program recruits heavily in California, and would make a nice geographic pairing with Colorado
10:23 pm on June 13th, 2010
Well said Barry. I agree with you.
2:21 am on June 14th, 2010
Personally, I’d rather see A&M go to the SEC than the Pac 10, even if it means they split from the rest of the Big 12…essentially, Pac 10 fans don’t travel as well as SEC fans and thats a fact, especially considering the logistics. A&M and UT will still have the annual T-day game no matter what, and I’d rather see SEC West teams than Pac ? Northwest teams anyday.
I agree that Utah would be a better fit for the Pac ?…TT, OU, OSU, UT, you guys can have Utah and CU. I would much rather see A&M compete against LSU, Auburn, Bama, Arkansas, MSU & Miss anyway.
By the way, its a joke to think Utah’s athletic program, especially its non-rev. sports compete at the same level as A&M’s. Take a look at the history of A&M’s track, golf, tennis, soccer, volleyball, swimming, softball & baseball programs…then you’ll know which of the two truly competes at a championship level at all sports. A&M is the current and defending track Nat. champs, defending golf nat. champs, consitantly ranked in the top 10 for tennis & soccer and consitantly ranks in the top 25 in softball and baseball…do your research guys. Should we compare the two University’s Endowment funds next?
10:20 am on June 14th, 2010
Utah is a mid-upper school in the MWC, dominated in most sports by TCU and BYU. The Utah basketball program has been in the dumps for several years and the football team finished 3rd last year. It doesn’t even compete in most of the non-revenue sports. I can understand why the Pac 10 would be very disappointed to settle on Colorado and Utah after planning something big. The Buffs and the Utes are pretty much losers.
11:25 am on June 14th, 2010
Steve - you don’t know shit
11:28 am on June 14th, 2010
Utah and the Pac-10 have been making eyes at each other for damn near a year now. That thing is going down. It’s not TV “viewers” per say, it’s new markets for cable deals. Texas will ensure that Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and damn near every other Texas metro will have the Pac-16 network. Salt Lake brings a entire new market. for the Pac-16 network. All of Utah, some of Idaho, and some of Wyoming would carry the network on their cable systems.
11:50 am on June 14th, 2010
The only reason I’d like to see a stronger Pac-XX is to gain more national recognition for W. Coast teams. The addition of Texas & Oklahoma would just kill a WSU and hurt OSU. Adding the Buffs & Utes won’t diminish the conference & will add new markets, but adding Texas, especially, means too much dominance there, politically & athletically.
Let’s face it, money and power have ruled the NCAA for years and this is just an unfortunate, logical extension of the “corporatizing of everything American”.
11:57 am on June 14th, 2010
Kansas would be a much better fit for the Pac-10 than Utah. KU is a great academic school and is a member of the AAU. Their football program is historically better than Utah’s and they’ve got a top 5 (actually top 3) basketball program. It’s farther away than Utah is but they have a much larger national presence than Utah and travel extremely well.
Also, KU sits in a much larger TV market than Utah (about million more TVs in Kansas). Adding KU over Utah means more TV sets, way better athletics and arguably better academics. I don’t see why Pac-10 would even consider Utah.
12:26 pm on June 14th, 2010
they need to stay in the same conference as the other texas teams. they MUST!
12:28 pm on June 14th, 2010
KU doesn’t really want to go MWC or KSt for that matter.But up for grabs is the Kansas City,Wichita and St. Louis market which is way more that Salt Lake.Having a powerhouse in kansas basketball would up grade pac 10 basketball. Kansas football not hte best but a lot better than what it used to be.