A Look Behind Texas A&M's Realignment into the SEC: Bill Byrne's Role

Once again, our friend @spadilly has come through and obtained documents that detail Texas A&M's realignment into the Southeastern Conference through the past two years.  With his help, we are privledged to share them with you.  Over the next few weeks to months, we will be releasing different bits and pieces of information we have found that can help shape your view of what was really happening behind the scenes and hopefully dispel any myths or rumors that circulated during that time to give you the real, clear view of the actual events that took place.

*Considering these documents were received legally via an open records request, it is my understanding that the following information is now available to the general public.

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Many now are familiar with the launching of the Longhorn Network and the problems that it caused.   Most of those problems were detailed in this very blog.  While it certainly wasn't the only reason Texas A&M decided to move on from the Big 12, it became a huge factor that was much discussed among the decision-makers at Texas A&M University.  There was no doubt that many, including individuals within our Athletic Department and Office of the President, were caught off guard with the amount of money ESPN offered the University of Texas and some of the content they planned to push to get major cable companies to sign on.  

After the Longhorn Network was announced in January, it didn't take long for it to raise concerns.  One of those concerns was it's intentions to televise contests showcasing prospective high school student-athletes.  The University Interscholastic League of Texas (the UIL)  is responsible for promotion and regulation of high school extracurricular activities, including high school football and is an extension of the University of Texas.  This relationship was cause for concern.  

In preparation of a written statement in January of 2011 regarding the Longhorn Network, Penny King (Deputy Director of Aggie Athletics) asks a simple question many of us were asking at the time. 

David Batson, Director of Aggie Athletic Compliance, issues a response with his understanding of the current configuration of the UIL. 

As the months went on, it appears the Longhorn Network, along with Big 12 TV partners ABC/ESPN and FOX continued to provide Big 12 members with hardship.  Here in an April 2011 email, we read a rough draft of one of Bill Byrne's famous Wednesday Weekly's schedule for release on April 13, 2011.  This is what the rough draft read detailing the holdup to release of the 2011 Big 12 football conference schedule and how the Longhorn Network and it's TV partners were playing a role in the process. 

Here for the first time, we read what Bill Byrne and the rest of the Texas A&M Athletic Department  believed to be true regarding the agreement of programming related to the Longhorn Network -- that the 3rd tier content allowed for each member of the Big 12 Conference was supposed to follow the "SEC model":  one football game and four or give men's basketball games.  This would become a major issue going forward.  

Here is Jeffrey Toole, Senior Associate Athletic Director and Athletics CFO, response to Byrne's rough draft and the suggested editing of the statement.  

The final version of the Wednesday Weekly read as follows:

Speaking of next year’s football schedule, my email box is filled with questions asking when the schedule will be announced. While it seems that every major conference except the Big 12 has released their schedule, actually, the Big East and the ACC have yet to release their schedules. But at least we know when we’re playing our Thanksgiving game. I know the conference office staff has been working hard on this.

And further down, regarding conference third tier rights: 

 Under the new agreement, there will be a limited amount of inventory for a third tier platform for each of the Big 12 schools. We are talking one football game, four or five men’s basketball games, and the remaining home events that ESPN and FOX choose not to produce as part of their first tier and second tier agreements. 

Fast forward to July, when the Longhorn Network and its suggested programming was causing major divisions within the conference.  In a meeting with fellow athletic directors, this very topic of what was agreed to in terms of allowed programing (Remember Byrne believed it was the SEC model) was discussed.  Here we show an email exchange between Athletic Director Bill Byrne and then Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe. (Note: Jamie refers to Iowa State Athletic Director Jamie Pollard)

And Beebe's response to Byrne's email: 

How did Byrne really feel about the Longhorn Network and the programming they were basically selecting for themselves?  On July 21st, 2011 the Texas A&M Board of Regents along with President Loftin held a regularly scheduled meeting and one of the topics of discussions was the Longhorn Network.  After the meeting, President Loftin would talk to local media in which he was quoted as saying there was "uncertainty" involving the Longhorn Network which would begin to create the firestorm around Texas A&M and conference realignment.  Bill Byrne was also asked to provide a statement, and once again, here is his raw, unedited thoughts on the situation.

Byrne's initial thoughts would undergo "editing" by Jason Cook, Chief Communications Officer at Texas A&M.  This would be the final product released to the media:

And yes, many of the emails that supporters sent in containing Vice President of the Longhorn Network Dave Brown's audio along with numerous articles from Brenham and Pearland detailing contact their school districts had with the Longhorn Network were read and even sent around to numerous athletic department staff.

So how large of a role did Texas A&M Athletic Director Bill Byrne actually play during the universities conference realignment?  Not very much it seems.

In one of the funnier emails we obtained, we find Byrne emailing President Loftin with a story written on July 11th by TexAgs.com owner and senior writer Billy Liucci that was the first sign of conference instability and opened up the possibility once again Texas A&M could be exploring it's options.  It's clear the story definitely raised a red flag for Byrne at the time.

During the early part of August as events were unfolding involving Texas A&M to the SEC, Byrne was on a trip in Europe with new head basketball coach Billy Kennedy and the Texas A&M Men's Basketball team as they traveled playing European national teams of the course of a couple of weeks.  In this August 10th email, Byrne asks a number of his closest associates within the athletic department what is going on back home.  Here is a response from Jeffrey Toole, giving Byrne a quick update on at least what appears to be happening. 

While Byrne was still in Europe, Austin American Statesman writer Kirk Bohls emails Byrne looking for a scope of what exactly is going on in College Station.  Byrne emails back with "the fishing is great" followed by an attached image of the lake he is staying at.  Bohls then responds with how we feels the situation is being handled.

Bohls had also previously emailed Byrne asking about rumors of the additions of Texas A&M and Virginia Tech with their Washington D.C. market to the SEC in which Byrne deflected.  

Byrne would also return early from his trip to Europe a few days later.  

One popular rumor we heard during realignment was that Byrne was not in favor of joining the SEC.  Unfortunately, we were unable to obtain an email that stated his favor in conferences nor any communication with his coaching staffs on the matter.  But what we did find here are his true thoughts on the Longhorn Network, what he thought was the agreement among conference members surrounding third tier rights, and a look into how much of a role he appeared to play during the process.

These are not the only emails and documents we have obtained regarding Texas A&M's move to the SEC and hope to share more with you in the coming weeks and months.