[Husker] Reflections on the Big Move

[RJ Wessel]

Best run down that I have found without going blind, I sure hope Mr. Hoover can still see




There is much uncertainty about the Big 12 Conference's bylaw regarding liquidation penalties for departing schools.


1. The penalty is not paid to the conference by the departing school. Instead, it is excluded from the departing school's annual share of conference revenue paid out each summer.

2. The penalty is weighted based on when a school leaves the conference. If a school leaves with less than two years notice (like Colorado), the penalty is 50 percent of that school's revenue during the two-year period. If a school leaves with less than one year (like Nebraska), the penalty is significantly higher.

3. Since 50 percent of Big 12 members' revenue is based on television appearances, penalties for some schools (Nebraska) would be higher than others (Colorado) because Nebraska usually has more nationally televised games.

4. If five more Big 12 teams leave as anticipated, the existing Big 12 would cease to be recognized as a conference in the eyes of the NCAA (and the BCS). That could result in legal tangles over the money that OU, OSU, Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech owe the league if they leave for the Pac-10.

5. Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman says NU shouldn't have to pay the penalty and deserves its full share for revenue earned in 2010-11 before departing for the Big Ten for the start of the 2011 school year because its hand was forced by economics (more money and equitable revenue sharing in the Big Ten). But Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe, while acknowledging a "difference of opinion," said he's "curious what their case is for that" and is in discussions with "legal counsel and others" over what is owed to whom.
By JOHN E. HOOVER World Sports Writer

Read more from this Tulsa World article at http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/OU/article.aspx?subjectid=92&articleid=20100613_92_B7_Therei552357
---- Dick Karre <dkarre at comcast.net> wrote: 
> Andy Knipp wrote:
> > I *thought* I read that there was no penalty if you left 2 years to go. So I am confused why CU gets hit. It *sounds* like the penalty would apply to NU (but you have to figure the B10++ would make some kind of accomidation).
> >
> >   
> 
> The bylaws are confusing, to say the least. The relevant provisions are 
> in section 3. They speak to giving notice of withdrawal two years before 
> the end of the "Current Term" of the agreement (July 1, 2006) or of the 
> then effective "Additional Term". In that case, the withdrawing member 
> loses half of its revenue share. I think that's what applies to CU, 
> though it isn't clear because the document doesn't spell out the length 
> of any "Additional Terms" or when they take effect. Schools who give 
> less than the required notice lose more: 80% if the notice is less than 
> 18 months, but more than a year. That would be the provision applicable 
> to NU - I think. If I'm right about this, NU would lose 80% of its 
> revenue share for one year, while CU would lose half of its share for 
> two years.
> 
> You can find the bylaws here:
> http://www.big12sports.com/fls/10410/pdfs/handbook/Bylaws.pdf?DB_OEM_ID=10410
> Caution: Reading this document may lead to blindness and/or insanity. I 
> am a professional; do not try this at home.
> 
> -- 
> Dick Karre
> dkarre at comcast.net
> 
> 
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