Texas lawmakers want to talk to A&M
The House Higher Education Committee has scheduled a hearing to take up the issue of Texas A&M's possible move to the SEC at 2 p.m. on Aug. 16.
Committee chairman Dan Branch, R-Dallas, also called a hearing last year when it appeared the Big 12 could break up with Texas and Texas Tech headed to the Pac-10 and Texas A&M headed to the SEC. But the Big 12 came together before the scheduled hearing.
Those being invited to the Aug. 16 hearing will include Texas A&M board of regents chairman, Richard Box, a dentist in Austin; and A&M president R. Bowen Loftin.
SEC commissioner Mike Slive will be invited, and members of the committee have indicated they'd like to know when discussions between Texas A&M and the SEC were initiated, and by whom, to determine if there may be any tortious interference with a contract between Texas A&M and the Big 12's television partners.
There's a chance Texas, Texas Tech and Baylor officials would be invited to talk about the potential fallout of an A&M departure. Questions for Texas would undoubtedly include the Longhorn Network, which has been a public concern for A&M officials.
"We want to be in position to have a discussion about a potential move to a new athletic conference for one of our major universities - that it's in the best interest of the state of Texas," Branch told Orangebloods.com.
"There's a lot of resources in play. These athletic programs have a lot of dollars involved with the TV contracts and the funding that comes from a particular conference. So we want to make sure if there was a decision to go a different direction at Texas A&M, it's the regents' job to make sure this is in the best interest of Texas A&M as one university in that system. And it's the Legislature's job to make sure it's in the best interest in the state of Texas."
I asked Branch if the committee found that such a move wasn't in the best interest of Texas, what could the Legislature do about it?
"Ultimately, these are public institutions," Branch said. "The Legislature is responsible for funding and directing the ultimate policy of our public institutions.
"So I think it's important that the Legislature be advised. And so I want to create an opportunity on a timely basis to give the members of the House of Representatives the opportunity to ask questions and make sure they felt like this was in the best interest of the state of Texas.
"There's an argument that going to the SEC would be a good thing so that Texas' biggest schools would have a footprint in two major conferences, so I'm going into this with an open mind. But it seems to me it's the regents' responsibility to do what's in the best interest of Texas A&M as the flagship of that system. And it's the Legislature's responsibility to make sure it's in the best interest of the state of Texas."
Branch said there are really two points of interest that are critical to the state's view of a possible move by Texas A&M to the SEC.
"Part of that goes to you don't want another major conference coming undone by the action of one," Branch said. "So there's two parts to this. One, is this a good move for Texas A&M?
"And, more importantly, from our vantage point would there be a negative consequence to the University of Texas or Texas Tech University and even our private schools like Baylor - what effect it could have on them?"
Stay tuned.
