Two major shifts in the college sports landscape were announced over the last two days. But only one was true.On Friday, West Virginia joined the Big 12.The other news, a series of articles discovered on the Southeastern Conference website late Thursday, introduced Missouri as its 14th member. Oops.The postings were quickly taken down, and Friday passed with an explanation of the error as the only announcement from the SEC office. The Tigers will have to wait a little longer for the welcome mat.But the wait is over for West Virginia.What started as a promising week for the Mountaineers, eager to ship out of the Big East, and got tangled up with some confusion at midweek, ended with the greeting they waited to hear:Welcome aboard, Mountaineers, were happy to have you, Big 12 interim commissioner Chuck Neinas saidThe admission officially came with a unanimous vote by the Big 12 Board of Directors on Friday morning, and the school joins Texas Christian as new members.There are a lot of happy people across the Mountaineer nation, West Virginia president James Clements said.The Big 12 issued a news release heralding the move, which included the leagues 10-team lineup for 2012-13, and it included West Virginia intent on not remaining in the Big East through its 27-month notice period and excluded Missouri.Right now, we have our house in order, Big 12 interim commissioner Chuck Neinas said. We have everybody signed up.But not Missouri?When a reporter asked Neinas about the omission, Youre closer to it than I, sir, he said.Questions about Mizzou went largely unanswered. Neinas said he didnt know of a timetable for the Tigers and the SEC.Until Missouri withdraws, theyre a member of the Big 12, Neinas said. I have no information on the timeline. Youll have to talk to the University of Missouri.And if you want to talk exit fees, talk to the Tigers, but Well, regarding when the University of Missouri withdraws, they know that the bylaws stipulate exit fees, Neinas said.According to the bylaws, the exit fee which isnt a fee but a withholding of conference-generated revenue from television contracts and postseason appearances calls for Missouri and Texas A&M to lose 90 percent of those revenues because the schools gave notice to the Big 12 between six months and a year before their departures.Estimates of the fees have varied. A report prepared for the University of Missouri Board of Curators estimated a penalty of $25.9 million if Missouri left this year but would be closer to $10.4 million if the Tigers gave two years notice.This month, Neinas said he expected Missouri to be in the conference next year, but all signs point to a departure soon. A news release was written to that effect. Heres what was posted on the SEC website:Given the ever changing conference paradigm over the past year, the Southeastern Conference has continued to demonstrate its commitment to maintaining its stature as one of the nations premier conferences by welcoming the University of Missouri as the leagues 14th member, Commissioner Mike Slive announced Monday.Was that intended to be this Monday? Last Monday? Is there a plan to announce the Tigers?The SEC said an agreement hasnt been reached between Missouri and the SEC and explained the premature release as the fault of its web vendor, XOS Digital. It was written so that if Missouri does join the conference, an announcement could be posted quickly.An administrative assistant to Missouri chancellor Brady Deaton said, We have no stance, you have to talk to (the SEC).West Virginia also was mixed up in some conference confusion this week. The Big 12 Board of Directors had approved the Mountaineers as the leagues newest member earlier in the week. But on a conference call Tuesday, Louisvilles candidacy was explored further, and the process was delayed.According to sources, Oklahoma president David Boren, who served as a Democrat in the U.S. Senate, had made the pitch after speaking with Sen. Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican. Sens. Jay Rockefeller and Joe Manchin, West Virginia Democrats, were furious with the lobbying, which they thought had come after the Big 12 had made its decision, and threatened an investigation.The political involvement brought a rebuke from Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Missouri Democrat.Am I excited about the changes that are going on in conference alignment? No, McCaskill said. Money has become too big and too powerful. But were not very good at what were supposed to be doing. The notion that we want to stick our nose in some place it doesnt belong seems like a dumb idea to me.West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck said there was a bit of nervousness during the delay. But at the end of the day we were comfortable working with Chuck (Neinas).West Virginia brings a nationally recognized football program to the Big 12. The Mountaineers have won six Big East championships and have won both of their BCS appearances, most recently a victory over Oklahoma in the 2008 Fiesta Bowl.The football team is coached by Dana Holgorsen, who was Oklahoma States offensive coordinator last season and spent several years at Texas Tech.The mens basketball program reached the Final Four in 2010 and is coached by Bob Huggins, who was hired away from Kansas State after the 2007 season.Luck said West Virginia had made an exit payment of $2.5 million to the Big East on Friday and plans to soon make another payment to cover the $5 million fee. But Big East commissioner John Marinatto said Friday that he expects the Mountaineers to abide by the leagues 27-month notice rule.West Virginia plans to be in the Big 12 next year.Our intent, clearly on July 1, is well be a member of the Big 12, Clements said. Our team and their team are in discussions about how we can make that happen.West Virginia being in the Big 12 for 2012 is important for football scheduling. Assuming Missouri leaves, the Big 12 wants to maintain the same number of schools for scheduling continuity.Neinas said the schedule will need to be reworked it wont be a matter of plugging West Virginia into Missouris 2012 league slate or TCU into Texas A&Ms for that matter.Ten is where the Big 12 will stop for now.I wouldnt say there wont be further expansion, but our mission, also the recommendation of our athletic directors, is to move forward with 10 teams, Neinas said. That doesnt mean there wont be further consideration, but right now we have our house in order. We have everybody signed up.And locked in for six years. The Big 12 also announced Friday that its members had agreed to a six-year grant of rights for first- and second-tier television revenue. Hargis said final approval will happen at the boards next meeting on Tuesday.

KansasCity.com

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Big 12 adds West Virginia and for the moment stands at 11 members

By BLAIR KERKHOFF

The Kansas City Star

More Sports:

Two major shifts in the college sports landscape were announced over the last two days. But only one was true.

On Friday, West Virginia joined the Big 12.

The other news, a series of articles discovered on the Southeastern Conference website late Thursday, introduced Missouri as its 14th member. Oops.

The postings were quickly taken down, and Friday passed with an explanation of the error as the only announcement from the SEC office. The Tigers will have to wait a little longer for the welcome mat.

But the wait is over for West Virginia.

What started as a promising week for the Mountaineers, eager to ship out of the Big East, and got tangled up with some confusion at midweek, ended with the greeting they waited to hear:

“Welcome aboard, Mountaineers, we’re happy to have you,” Big 12 interim commissioner Chuck Neinas said

The admission officially came with a unanimous vote by the Big 12 Board of Directors on Friday morning, and the school joins Texas Christian as new members.

“There are a lot of happy people across the Mountaineer nation,” West Virginia president James Clements said.

The Big 12 issued a news release heralding the move, which included the league’s 10-team lineup for 2012-13, and it included West Virginia — intent on not remaining in the Big East through its 27-month notice period — and excluded Missouri.

“Right now, we have our house in order,” Big 12 interim commissioner Chuck Neinas said. “We have everybody signed up.”

But not Missouri?

When a reporter asked Neinas about the omission, “You’re closer to it than I, sir,” he said.

Questions about Mizzou went largely unanswered. Neinas said he didn’t know of a timetable for the Tigers and the SEC.

“Until Missouri withdraws, they’re a member of the Big 12,” Neinas said. “I have no information on the timeline. You’ll have to talk to the University of Missouri.”

And if you want to talk exit fees, talk to the Tigers, but …

“Well, regarding when the University of Missouri withdraws, they know that the bylaws stipulate exit fees,” Neinas said.

According to the bylaws, the exit fee — which isn’t a fee but a withholding of conference-generated revenue from television contracts and postseason appearances — calls for Missouri and Texas A&M to lose 90 percent of those revenues because the schools gave notice to the Big 12 between six months and a year before their departures.

Estimates of the fees have varied. A report prepared for the University of Missouri Board of Curators estimated a penalty of $25.9 million if Missouri left this year but would be closer to $10.4 million if the Tigers’ gave two years’ notice.

This month, Neinas said he expected Missouri to be in the conference next year, but all signs point to a departure soon. A news release was written to that effect. Here’s what was posted on the SEC website:

“Given the ever changing conference paradigm over the past year, the Southeastern Conference has continued to demonstrate its commitment to maintaining its stature as one of the nation’s premier conferences by welcoming the University of Missouri as the league’s 14th member, Commissioner Mike Slive announced Monday.”

Was that intended to be this Monday? Last Monday? Is there a plan to announce the Tigers?

The SEC said an agreement hasn’t been reached between Missouri and the SEC and explained the premature release as the fault of its web vendor, XOS Digital. It was written so that if Missouri does join the conference, an announcement could be posted quickly.

An administrative assistant to Missouri chancellor Brady Deaton said, “We have no stance, you have to talk to (the SEC).”

West Virginia also was mixed up in some conference confusion this week. The Big 12 Board of Directors had approved the Mountaineers as the league’s newest member earlier in the week. But on a conference call Tuesday, Louisville’s candidacy was explored further, and the process was delayed.

According to sources, Oklahoma president David Boren, who served as a Democrat in the U.S. Senate, had made the pitch after speaking with Sen. Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican. Sens. Jay Rockefeller and Joe Manchin, West Virginia Democrats, were furious with the lobbying, which they thought had come after the Big 12 had made its decision, and threatened an investigation.

The political involvement brought a rebuke from Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Missouri Democrat.

“Am I excited about the changes that are going on in conference alignment? No,” McCaskill said. “Money has become too big and too powerful. But … we’re not very good at what we’re supposed to be doing. The notion that we want to stick our nose in some place it doesn’t belong seems like a dumb idea to me.”

West Virginia athletic director Oliver Luck said “there was a bit of nervousness” during the delay. “But at the end of the day we were comfortable working with Chuck (Neinas).”

West Virginia brings a nationally recognized football program to the Big 12. The Mountaineers have won six Big East championships and have won both of their BCS appearances, most recently a victory over Oklahoma in the 2008 Fiesta Bowl.

The football team is coached by Dana Holgorsen, who was Oklahoma State’s offensive coordinator last season and spent several years at Texas Tech.

The men’s basketball program reached the Final Four in 2010 and is coached by Bob Huggins, who was hired away from Kansas State after the 2007 season.

Luck said West Virginia had made an exit payment of $2.5 million to the Big East on Friday and plans to soon make another payment to cover the $5 million fee. But Big East commissioner John Marinatto said Friday that he expects the Mountaineers to abide by the league’s 27-month notice rule.

West Virginia plans to be in the Big 12 next year.

“Our intent, clearly on July 1, is we’ll be a member of the Big 12,” Clements said. “Our team and their team are in discussions about how we can make that happen.”

West Virginia being in the Big 12 for 2012 is important for football scheduling. Assuming Missouri leaves, the Big 12 wants to maintain the same number of schools for scheduling continuity.

Neinas said the schedule will need to be reworked — it won’t be a matter of plugging West Virginia into Missouri’s 2012 league slate or TCU into Texas A&M’s for that matter.

Ten is where the Big 12 will stop — for now.

“I wouldn’t say there won’t be further expansion, but our mission, also the recommendation of our athletic directors, is to move forward with 10 teams,” Neinas said. “That doesn’t mean there won’t be further consideration, but right now we have our house in order. We have everybody signed up.”

And locked in for six years. The Big 12 also announced Friday that its members had agreed to a six-year grant of rights for first- and second-tier television revenue. Hargis said final approval will happen at the board’s next meeting on Tuesday.

The Star’s Mike DeArmond and Dave Helling contributed to this report To reach Blair Kerkhoff, call 816-234-4730 or send email to bkerkhoff@kcstar.com. Follow him at twitter.com/BlairKerkhoff.