Skip to main content
You are the owner of this article.
Edit Article Add New Article
You have permission to edit this article.
Edit

LATEST

ALERT

Weather Alert

...AIR QUALITY ALERT IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 10 PM CDT FRIDAY...

The following statement was issued by the Oklahoma Department of
Environmental Quality.

An Air Quality Alert for Ozone has been issued for Friday, August 28
for the Oklahoma City Metropolitan area due to expected high
concentrations of ozone.

Public Health Recommendations: Persons with existing heart or
respiratory ailments should reduce physical exertion and outdoor
activity.

The general public is encouraged to help alleviate the problem by
reducing vehicle miles traveled by riding the bus, carpooling, or
avoiding unnecessary trips. The public is also asked to avoid
refueling during the morning and early afternoon hours, and to avoid
the use of two cycle engines such as lawn mowers, motorcycles, weed
trimmers, and outboard engines. It is also advised to limit outdoor
burning.

To view the latest air quality map, visit airnow.gov or the AirNow
app.

For hourly updates on concentrations and possible health warnings,
telephone the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality at
405-702-4100. For more information on health effects, call the
American Lung Association of Oklahoma at 405-748-4674
Featured

OU football: Sooners and Texas possess 'momentum' to join SEC early in 2024, per report

Joe Castiglione and Brent Venables

Athletics director Joe Castiglione (left) and head coach Brent Venables before the game against Texas on Oct. 8, 2022.

 Reghan Kyle/OU Daily

Oklahoma and Texas, which are set to join the Southeastern Conference when the Big 12's current Grant of Rights expires in 2025, possess "momentum" for an earlier exit in 2024, Action Network's Brett McMurphy reported Monday.

The two schools continue to maintain publicly their commitment to leaving in 2025, however, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark said at the conference's media days on July 13 he's "not against" negotiating an earlier departure. 

McMurphy detailed both the Big Ten’s addition of USC and UCLA and the College Football Playoff’s expansion to 12 teams in 2024 as reasons the likelihood has increased for OU and Texas to make an early move. Two other likely factors McMurphy mentioned was the Big 12’s decision to add BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF in 2023, and the conference’s new media rights deal.

The Big 12 agreed to a six-year media rights agreement with ESPN and Fox Sports worth a total of $2.28B, Sports Business Journal reported on Oct. 30. The Big 12 requires OU and Texas to pay an exit fee the sum of the league’s distribution for two years. 

The three parties have been involved in discussions for months but still have not reached an agreement on the schools’ buyout amount, which is around $84 million per school, according to McMurphy.

Another wrinkle in the two schools' desire to exit the Big 12 early, according to McMurphy, is the SEC's upcoming 10-year media rights deal with ESPN which begins in 2024. It's unclear whether ESPN would be interested in paying an increased amount to OU and Texas early instead of waiting until 2025. 

Yormark told reporters at the Big 12 Championship Game on Dec. 3 the conference is targeting a mid-December release for the 2023 football schedule with no divisions included. 

OU Daily standards

See an error? Earning trust is our duty. We correct errors atop stories. Identify an error, request a takedown or get in touch.

Independent and free since 1916: OU is committed to our editorial independence. You can help ensure our reporting remains strong and accessible to all invested in OU and Norman.

Want to comment? We value dialogue on issues we cover. On our social media accounts, we moderate disparagements, arguments and attacks, including those directed at our staff — and ban those repeatedly failing civility. The editor considers guest column submissions.