In Austin on Sunday, they’re throwing a “Texas-sized party” that’s scheduled to last nine hours. On Monday morning in Norman, Oklahoma, they’re planning a “Wake Up in the SEC” celebration that also will last into the night, culminating with a concert in the football stadium. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey walks onto the field during the first half of the SEC Championship football game between the Georgia Bulldogs and.
.. For the rest of the world, Oklahoma and Texas joining the SEC is old news.
But for those two institutions and the SEC itself, midnight Sunday represents a historic moment. That’s when June 30 turns to July 1 and the former Big 12 powers officially become members of the SEC. The two schools accepted the SEC’s invitation to join the league in July 2021.
Starting Monday, it officially becomes a 16-team conference. Local news has never been this personal. Free to download.
Subscribers enjoy unlimited access. “Just to see the social-media reaction to the SEC logo being painted on the field in Austin and in Norman was pretty cool,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey told Paul Finebaum of ESPN and SEC Network. “It’s hard to believe it’s been three years, but we’re all really excited that the time is here.
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It’s going to be a joyous celebration.” The teams actually are coming on board a year early. Their original agreement was to start in 2025, but Oklahoma and Texas negotiated a $100 million settlement with the Big 12 in February 2023 to .
