Big 12

This is not now an MLS blog, but . . . Sports Business Journal’s Alex Silverman and John Ourand reported two days ago that the MLS and Apple TV have agreed to a 10-year $250 million broadcasting deal, but this deal is a bit different, including that MLS is in charge of production. Every game is going to be available on Apple TV. Now, I don’t know what this does for negotiation purposes for the supposed death of the Big 12 (which may still happen), but it is interesting to see how live sports still reigns supreme and having another avenue as a provider certainly helps things I would think. How this all plays out when TV contracts are up for the Big 12 will be interesting for the long-term viability of the Big 12. I think the Big 12 is gonna be okay IF they hire a new commissioner that’s able to negotiate with different providers which I don’t think that this is a surprise to those in the industry or to the university presidents. And would I be fine if the Big 12 were on Apple TV or some other service if every game was on that service and I didn’t have to look elsewhere for my games? Yes, sure.

Baseball

Via Texas Tech, Jace Jung, Brandon Birdsell, and Hudson White received additional post-season honors:

Jung was named to Perfect Game’s first-team All-America team. It is Jung’s third All-America honor in 2022, and second on Wednesday alone after the NCBWA named him a first-team selection earlier in the day. Collegiate Baseball pegged Jung as a second-team All-American on June 2.

Birdsell picked up third-team All-America honors from Perfect Game. It’s Birdsell’s second career All-America honor after Collegiate Baseball named him to its second team.

White was named a first-team freshman All-American on Wednesday, his second freshman all-America honor of the 2022 postseason.

Basketball

24/7 Sports’ Isaac Trotter ranked the top transfer classes and he’s got Texas Tech having the #1 class:

The class: No. 39 De’Vion Harmon (Oregon), D’Maurian Williams (Gardner-Webb), No. 16 Fardaws Aimaq (Utah Valley), No. 18 Jaylon Tyson (Texas), Kerwin Walton (North Carolina)

What it means: After shooting just 32.1% from 3-point range (254th in the country) last year, Texas Tech clearly went into this offseason looking to add more plus-shooters to its roster. You know Mark Adams is going to get the Red Raiders to play elite defense. But Williams, Harmon and Walton are all extremely talented 3-point shooters, so that should really help the Texas Tech offense avoid some of the dry spells that happened a few too many times last season. Plus, surrounding a big man like Aimaq with a lot of shooting could unlock his upside.

As an aside, Texas is at #3 and Oklahoma is at #10.

Football

Via Texas Tech, 12 Red Raider footballers were named to Phil Steele’s Preseason All-Big 12 Team:

Second Team
TE Baylor Cupp
LB Krishon Merriweather
DB Rayshad Williams
DB Dadrion Taylor-Demerson
P Austin McNamara

Third Team
RB Tahj Brooks
WR Myles Price
DT Jaylon Hutchings

Fourth Team
OL Cole Spencer
OL Caleb Rogers
DE Tyree Wilson
LB Marquis Waters

Red Raider Sports’ Matt Clare had a super-interesting conversation with The Athletic’s Sam Khan, Jr. about how the Joey McGuire recruiting machine works and if you have the time to watch this, I’d really recommend this.