Oklahoma And Texas Additions To SEC

[Volfan1000]

Are their ball parks hitter or pitcher friendly?

Tennessee won't have to wait too long to get revenge on Texas for the recent College World Series loss.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

Are their ball parks hitter or pitcher friendly?.

Texas ballpark dimensions: Left field: 340 ft (103.5 m) Center field: 400 ft (122 m) Right field: 325 ft (99 m) Power Alleys: 370-365 ft (112 m)
Oklahoma dimensions: Left field - 335 ft Center field - 411 ft Right field - 335 ft

Both are a little larger than LNS, I think, especially down the lines. Texas capacity is less than 6700. OK is only 3200.

from photos, OK stadium has a lot of foul territory, making it more pitcher friendly. Texas is more like LNS w/respect to foul territory.

 

[TN_gal]

Tennessee won't have to wait too long to get revenge on Texas for the recent College World Series loss.

May not be very long at all. Both teams are among the six (Baylor, LSU, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and UCLA) in the 2022 tournament field for The Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic set for next March 4-6, 2022 in Houston.

Shriners Hospitals for Children College Classic announces 2022 tournament field

 

[savannahfan]

Are their ball parks hitter or pitcher friendly?

Tennessee won't have to wait too long to get revenge on Texas for the recent College World Series loss.

YES !!

 

[TN_gal]

It's done and official. Texas and Oklahoma officially joins the SEC on July 1, 2025. (I bet it'll be earlier than 2025.)

We've already played UTjr in the CWS, and will most likely see part 2 in Shriner's next season. It'll also be a good time to preview the Sooners.

 

[Volprofch05]

Here are some comments from the athletic about how adding Texas and OU could affect SEC baseball scheduling:

Realignment beyond football: Four ways adding Oklahoma and Texas affects other SEC sports

The question of scheduling will be crucial. There’s momentum for football to ditch divisions, and baseball could follow suit. Currently, SEC teams schedule 30 games across 10 weekend series — six series versus their division and four crossover series. (This leads to missing out on three opponents annually. For instance, Florida didn’t face LSU, Alabama or Mississippi State in the regular season this spring.)

When the league expands to 16 teams, deciding a regular-season champion becomes more dubious. The answer is to play more league games. One model that merits a look: adding an 11th series by starting league play a week earlier in March.

Another possibility for generating February interest is staging Leadoff Classics in Texas — one at Minute Maid Park in Houston, and the other at Globe Life Field in Arlington. Thanks to both ballparks having retractable roofs, the SEC could send eight teams to each site, guaranteeing that each plays three games over six days (pairing teams that aren’t on the weekend series rotation that year). A showcase for scouts, the events would make use of the two largest markets in the conference footprint.

While stretching the SEC slate to 36 games would be a bear, the strength-of-schedule boost would be undeniable. And the SEC Network wouldn’t mind the additional live content.

 

[Thanos]

The only problem with that proposal is that an odd number of weekends gives half the teams 5 home series and the other half 6 home series. I can’t see teams agreeing to that. My guess is it will either be 12 or left at 10.

 

[Volprofch05]

The only problem with that proposal is that an odd number of weekends gives half the teams 5 home series and the other half 6 home series. I can’t see teams agreeing to that. My guess is it will either be 12 or left at 10.

Good point, 12 SEC series a year would be pretty hardcore, but it would be fun to watch!

 

[fryeguy93]

Why not play more teams but make some of them 2-game midweek series.

 

[youcancallmeAl]

Why not play more teams but make some of them 2-game midweek series.

Because they're in college?

 

[SN-A-C Orange]

If Vitello is right in his quote on 'more teams will be added' ... we will have to keep divisions or go to pods (which seems more likely).
They have been working on the down low with Texas and Oklahoma for ... a year with no leaks.
I expect we will hear about the other 4 teams sometime before the end of '22, but more conference realignments will speed this along.

 

[OldTimer]

If Vitello is right in his quote on 'more teams will be added' ... we will have to keep divisions or go to pods (which seems more likely).
They have been working on the down low with Texas and Oklahoma for ... a year with no leaks.
I expect we will hear about the other 4 teams sometime before the end of '22, but more conference realignments will speed this along.

It’s speculated that Clemson and FSU may want to come on board

 

[TheMookieMonster]

I'm not much of a fan of this super-conference realignment that is currently happening, but the writing has been on the wall for quite some time that we were headed in this direction sooner rather than later.

I guess there is no point in dwelling on this since it's ultimately going to happen, I just enjoyed the regional differences and cross-conference rivalries, traditions, etc. I know college athletics is essentially just the minor leagues for all sports now, but I don't want it to feel like the minors if that makes sense. I still want that passion and tradition which I think could be lost if everything just becomes sterilized and corporatized for the sake of money.

 

[@1RBFjr]

I'm not much of a fan of this super-conference realignment that is currently happening, but the writing has been on the wall for quite some time that we were headed in this direction sooner rather than later.

I guess there is no point in dwelling on this since it's ultimately going to happen, I just enjoyed the regional differences and cross-conference rivalries, traditions, etc. I know college athletics is essentially just the minor leagues for all sports now, but I don't want it to feel like the minors if that makes sense. I still want that passion and tradition which I think could be lost if everything just becomes sterilized and corporatized for the sake of money.

That’s why I like college sports more than professional ones, but I recognize that lines are blurred more as time goes on.