Departure of four SWC schools was no thrill ride
By MATT MOSLEY / Dallas Web
Staff
Steve Hatchell was definitely prepared
to preside over a sport in which bull riding is the
top draw. After all, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys
Association commissioner once ran the volatile Southwest
Conference.
Feb.
25 marks the 10-year anniversary of Hatchell formally
announcing that Texas Tech, Texas, Texas A&M and
Baylor would leave the SWC to join the Big Eight.
Although the SWC continued to exist for two more years,
it was put on life support Feb. 25, 1994.
Hatchell, SWC commissioner from 1993-95, spent the
next several months trying to salvage a relationship
that was beyond repair.
When he tried to help the Big 12-bound schools, the
schools left behind (TCU, Houston, Rice, SMU) would
cry foul. But when he tried to help those schools
latch on with other conferences, the Big 12 schools
demanded more attention.
"I don't think they ever held us responsible,"
Hatchell said. "But each side thought we could
do more."
Hatchell said the breakup of the College Football
Association TV contract was what finally pulled the
plug on the SWC. With its relatively small percentage
of the nation's TV sets, SWC schools were forced to
consider aligning with other conferences. At first,
Colorado and Texas were rumored to be joining the
Pac-10 and Texas A&M the SEC.
Hatchell spent most of his time during that period
trying to put out fires. At one point, he was even
accused of striking a deal with Texas to try to break
up the SWC, a charge he found preposterous.
In his final days as SWC commissioner, Hatchell worked
to help secure a lucrative TV deal for the Big 12
schools while also trying to find suitable homes for
the schools left behind.
He became the first commissioner of the Big 12 in
1995, serving until the spring of 1998. Although he
doesn't talk about it now, Hatchell's inclusiveness
may have eventually cost him his job with the Big
12. When he took over the post, he could have brought
in his own staff, but instead chose to absorb the
Big Eight staff that was already in place.
In an interview with The Dallas Morning News
in 1998, Hatchell said, "A lot of people that
came over from the Big Eight have been upset because
I make it a coat-and-tie environment and make people
show up on time. It was a lot more laissez faire in
the Big Eight office."
Today, though, Hatchell isn't bitter about his departure.
"I'm proud of the fact of being the first [commissioner],"
Hatchell said. "And I still think it's a great
conference."
E-mail
mmosley@dallasnews.com
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