From: rbutera@owlnet.rice.edu (Robert John Butera)
Subject: Texas bailout and conf. alignment rumors
Organization: Rice University
Date: Mon, 14 Sep 1992 07:34:15 GMT

From the Saturday 9/12/92 Houston Chronicle, FRONT PAGE (lead story):

"UT considers plan that would make stadium largest in the US.

UofT officials are studying a major expansion plan for Memorial
Stadium  that could increase the capacity to more than 110000 seats -
making it the largest stadium facility in the country.
  The stadium expansion would put Texas in a position to leave the SWC
in the next few years and move to the Big 10 or Pacific 10, sources
close to the UT athletic department said.
  'Nothing is official yetr, because UT officials have been told not
to talk about it (leaving the SWC)," a source said.  'But if the
decision is made, then this stadium will be in line to seat as many as
any stadium in the Big 10.  This is good, advanced planning by the
athletic director for when we leave the conference.'
  Texas AD DeLoss Dodds corfirmed that UT officials have discussed
expanding the stadium, but he denied the plan is linked to UT moving
to anther conference.
   'That plan is a long, long way away.  It's just thinking ahead.
The school president has not even seen it,'  Dodds told the Chronicle.
'We've got a 20 year plan.  Our senior staff has worked on that.
We've given it to our Longhorn Advisory Council.  We look at all these
sorts of things.  There is a lot of blue sky over that, and it has
absolutely nothing to do with moving to another conference.'"

" ... Despite Dodds' denials, one UT source said officials would not
be studying expansion of Memorial Stadium if Texas planned to remain
in the SWC indefinitely.
   'We aren't selling out the facility now,' the source said.  'So no
one in their right minds would expand unless we could fill the seats.
And that means playing in the Big 10 and not the SWC.'
   Texas averaged 69094 for six home games in 1991 and 76007 in 1990,
when the Longhorns won the SWC title.  The Longhorns had averaged as
high as 79027 for six home games in 1984, when temporary seats were
added in the south end zone ...
   Sources insist officials at Texas - as well as Texas A&M - are
keeping their options open in regard to future conference
affilliations.
   'One wants the other to leave first so the other can take the
heat,' a UT source said ...

   Another factor that could affect UT and A&M's future in the SWC is
SMU's upcoming decision about the future of its football program.
Citing large athletic department budget cuts, SMU has appointed a task
force to study whether to keep Division I-A football.
   'If SMU decides to drop their football program, that could be the
impetus needed for Texas to leave the SWC,' the source said.  'But
whether SMU drops their football program or not, it is my
understanding the decision to leave or stay will be made by spring
1994.
   Big Ten officials deny their league is looking to expand, but the
conference has already added Penn State as an 11th member.  UT sources
said texas, Notre Dame, and either Missouri or Nebraska are being
considered for expansion by Big Ten officials.  If three schools
joined, the league could split into two divisions of seven teams each,
similar to the format adopted by the SEC this season.
   'Big Ten officials are waiting to see how well the payouts work
from the SEC's divisional playoffs in December,' the source said,
referring to this year's inaugural SEC Championship Game.  'If it is a
big payout, than expect the Big Ten to look to move.'
    Sources also say the Pac-10 is looking to expand, with Texas, BYU,
and Colorado the prime candidates.' "
 







-- 
Rob Butera - ECE grad student   Rice University, Houston, TX   rbutera@rice.edu
"In the worst case scenario, investigators would find a direct link to
 financing Iraqi military expenditures." - George Bush, February 13, 1990,
 in a memo to his secretary of Agriculture
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.college