SEC Expansion: Why Baylor Is Right To Sue Texas A&M for Leaving

Now that Texas A&M University has received an invite to the Southeastern Conference, there is still one roadblock in the way. Baylor University has reserved the right to take legal action and rightly so.

The condition the SEC put on A&M's acceptance was that no legal action could be taken.

The Big 12 conference commissioner Dan Beebe sent a letter to the SEC Sept. 2. The letter states that the Aggies were free to join the SEC with no threat of legal action.

Now Baylor has withdrawn their consent and is considering a lawsuit.

And from the perspective from the Big 12 and Baylor, this is their last chance at saving what they have left.

The move is absolutely desperate, but who can blame them?

1. This Is the End of the Big 12 (10)

I believe people are kidding themselves if they think the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns will save with the Big 12 minus the Texas A&M Aggies.

Here is a very good breakdown of the revenue of each school.

This article from Forbes puts the writing of the wall for the doom of the Big 12, even with A&M in the conference.

Losing one of the top revenue schools in the conference, soon after losing Nebraska, another top money maker, will be the beginning of the end of the Big 12.

Especially when the Pac-12 is already seeking expansion options once A&M leaves the Big 12. 

That expansion includes Texas, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma State.

Texas might go independent because they do not seem as interested in the Pac-12 expansion, but I think the Pac-12 can survive with those schools minus Texas easily.

Kansas will find a landing spot because of its basketball program. Their instate rival, Kansas State, I speculate will follow Kansas to that destination.

However, for Baylor (and Iowa State), the picture is not so clear.

2. Baylor Has No Promising Destination

Unfortunately for Baylor, they just are not that big of a draw for games.

Yes, they are a having a good start to the 2011 season, and their basketball program has improved dramatically.

However, they literally do not post a profit in their athletic department, according the previously cited Forbes article.

This is devastating. What conference would take a school that only breaks even?

Some options are the Mountain West and Conference-USA.

However, no conference can compare to what they get from the Big 12. They will undoubtedly post a deficit if there is no Big 12, or some athletic programs will face massive cuts and their program will shrink dramatically. 

This is not to mention its series with Texas Tech in Arlington (this year to be played at Jerry World) will be lost.

I think this makes it very evident that Baylor needs the Big 12.

3. Kills Local Revenue

There are so many ways in which yearly match ups against the Texas Longhorns, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, etc. helps the local Waco economy.

Visiting team fans come in waves, especially the cult of Longhorn fans that show up to every Longhorn event ever.

I heard the Texas Longhorn quidditch team sold out at every away opponent.

OK, not really. I do not know if they have a quidditch team at all, but you get my point.

They show up at a lot of games outside of Austin. And not just football games. 

Baseball, basketball, etc. all draw crowds and attract fans.

That means hotel profit, gas station visits, plane tickets, restaurant profit increases, and the actual purchase of the ticket to get into the game.

All of those stand to benefit the economy.

It is not just Baylor that benefits from the Big 12. The whole Waco, Texas community needs the Big 12.

Much like local Cleveland businesses needed LeBron James.

4. Recruiting Goes Away

Texas is a huge area for recruiting top football talent.

Even the bottom of the Texas crop is a lot better than most states.

For Baylor, showcasing players like QB Robert Griffin in games across the state is critical for them to get their foot in the door to recruit some top talent.

Also, why would a top recruit go to a Baylor school that does not even play in the Big 12?

That was a huge selling point to get whatever recruits they could attract.

Now, what do they have if the Big 12 goes away? 

A move to play against the Houston Cougars in Conference-USA?

Not very attractive for Baylor's future.

5. Now Iowa State Cyclones Are Joining

Iowa State spokesman John McCarroll has stated Iowa State also has not waived its legal rights in its ability to sue the SEC and/or Texas A&M.

This comes as no surprise.

Iowa State is in the same boat at Baylor.

They are going to have a tough time finding a top conference. They will probably end up in a small, second-tier conference (I have no clue where ISU will go. Maybe Mountain West or Conference-USA?). 

They have the same issues with recruiting and lack of revenue as Baylor.

They do post an athletic department profit but not a very good one. Just over $200,000, according Forbes. 

They will absolutely wind up as losers in the conference shuffle and must do whatever they can to prevent the loss of the Big 12.