Bowlsby Briefs Big 12 CEOs and Weiberg Sends Letter/Email to Cowboy Fans

STILLWATER – Bright and early on Thursday morning the Big 12 Presidents and Chancellors, along with the athletic directors, were tuned into a virtual meeting with Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby. Bowlsby was fresh off two days of meetings with Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff, first reported by Max Olson of The Athletic and the second day first reported by Pokes Report and the meeting with Big 12 CEOs.

The veteran Big 12 commissioner was looking for ways to strengthen the position of the eight remaining teams in the Big 12 following the news and then rapid execution of Texas and Oklahoma securing future membership in the Southeastern Conference. Kliavkoff is the new commissioner of the Pac-12 looking to fortify his conference membership, make them more attractive to the College Football Playoff and increase the value for their future television rights negotiations following the 2022-23 school year. Both conferences are involved with ESPN and FOX as their television partners.

Another development today on this front was the letter emailed to Oklahoma State fans by OSU athletics director Chad Weiberg. There was no new news in the letter but a strong encouragement for fans to jump on board and help out.

Pokes Report

George Kliavkoff of the Pac-12 and Bob Bowlsby of the Big 12.

Making the rounds and checking with multiple sources on the early meeting, we were informed of two items. One, the meetings between Bowlsby and Kliavkoff were mostly informational in nature with both commissioners schooling the other on their membership, concerns and desires moving forward. Bowlsby has some fundamental knowledge on the Pac-12 having served as athletics director at Stanford from 2006-2012.

The presumption going into the two days of meetings was that Bowlsby and Kliavkoff would share information on their conferences and discuss solutions that could help their issues such as a football scheduling alliance and a possible merger in the future.

All of my sources that have been privy to information so far through the process and aftermath of Texas and Oklahoma leaving the Big 12 for the future were quiet on the virtual meeting this morning. One source claimed that there were confidentiality agreements in place. Both leagues wanting to keep their business close to the vest, especially the Big 12 where outliers Texas and Oklahoma are not included in the meetings but would love to know information as those two schools would love for the Big 12 to dissolve and allow them to leave for the SEC without great financial penalty.

It would not shock me if the two leagues discussed a scheduling alliance to help the Big 12 stay together and milk Texas and Oklahoma of a potential $160 million in penalties and television money out of the grant-in-rights agreement.  

Meanwhile, Weiberg’s letter hit on the challenge that he and President Shrum have been presented.

Robert Allen - Pokes Report

Weiberg letter

“Events over the summer make clear that college athletics is in one of its most transformational periods in history. And while change can be unsettling, it can also be good. President Shrum and I view these changes as a great opportunity for Oklahoma State University and OSU Athletics. We will always be steadfast in pursuing what is best for our beloved university,” read the second paragraph of the letter.

“Thanks to the hard work and generosity of so many, the Oklahoma State brand has never been stronger and it is our brand that will pave our path forward,” Weiberg wrote getting to something that Mike Gundy has preached about holding up football. “It is a brand forged by the sustained success and national prominence Cowboy Football has achieved under Coach Gundy’s leadership. Since 2010, OSU Football is 12th nationally in total number of wins and is one of just three programs in the country with a streak of 15 consecutive winning seasons and bowl appearances. Oklahoma State is one of only 10 Power Five football programs with more than 100 wins since 2010 and has been ranked in the Top 15 of the Associated Press poll in 11 of the past 13 seasons. OSU Football has reached the Top 10 of the AP poll in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 and 2020, finishing as high as third.”

Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics

Weiberg really bragged on Gundy’s football program.

Weiberg wrote of the success in the rest of the athletic department and praised the accomplishments, especially this year’s 18-rank in the Learfield Director’s Cup and the 52 overall NCAA team National Championships. Weiberg then got down to what the Oklahoma State fans can do immediately to help the cause.

“The people of Oklahoma State have always come together to face challenges head-on with resolve, strength and determination. I have seen it up close and personal. Once again, we will turn these current challenges into opportunity.

“I am grateful for the overwhelming number of emails, texts and calls we have received from OSU alumni, fans and supporters asking what they can do to help. The answer is to continue to support our student-athletes and coaches by buying season tickets, coming to games, wearing Orange and flying the flag. Join the POSSE and Star Your Car. And if you haven’t done any of these before, we invite you to join us. There has never been a better time to start.

“Our strength is in our passion and in our numbers. You matter! Every single one of you. That has always been true, and because of you, I have never been more optimistic about our future. Go Pokes!”

He then signed the letter, Loyal and True, Chad Weiberg.