KANSAS CITY, Mo. — One of Kansas City’s most celebrated events every year may now face an uncertain future.
The college sports landscape appears ready for a major readjustment, as the University of Texas and University of Oklahoma appear poised to ditch the Big 12 for the Southeastern Conference, according to multiple reports.
The move would leave the Big 12 with just eight member schools.
ESPN.com reports that eight of the 10 athletic directors met in a teleconference Thursday night (the athletic directors from UT and OU were not in attendance) to discuss the league’s next steps.
“The eight members strongly desire to retain the current composition, which has proven it can compete at the highest levels,” the league said in the statement provided to ESPN.
The changing landscape has drawn the attention of Kansas City, Missouri, Mayor Quinton Lucas.
The city has been the long-time host of the men's and women’s Big 12 basketball tournament, held the last several years at T-Mobile Center.
Lucas tweeted Friday morning that he will continue to work to make sure Kansas City keeps the tradition of hosting a major conference basketball tournament.
We’ve had a major conference basketball tournament in our city for almost every year of my life. We’ll compete to make sure it keeps happening.
— Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) July 23, 2021
Conference re-alignment involving the Big 12 could impact the University of Kansas and Kansas State University.
