COLLEGE STATION (August 31, 2011)—Texas A&M told the Big 12 Wednesday it will leave the conference by July 1, 2012.

The move, which was expected, may set off another round of conference realignment in college sports.

The Aggies have made it clear they want to join the 12-member Southeastern Conference.

“After much thought and consideration, and pursuant to the action of the (Texas A&M University System) Board of Regents authorizing me to take action related to Texas A&M University’s athletic conference alignment, I have determined it is in the best interest of Texas A&M to make application to join another athletic conference,” President R. Bowen Loftin wrote to Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe in the letter dated Wednesday.

“We appreciate the Big 12’s willingness to engage in a dialogue to end our relationship through a mutually agreeable settlement,” Loftin said.

“We, too, desire that this process be as amicable and prompt as possible and result in a resolution of all outstanding issues, including mutual waivers by Texas A&M and the conference on behalf of all the remaining members.”

Texas A&M made the move from the Southwest Conference to the Big 12 in 1996, when the conference was created.

“As I have indicated throughout this process, we are seeking to generate greater visibility nationwide for Texas A&M and our championship-caliber student-athletes, as well as secure the necessary and stable financial resources to support our athletic and academic programs,” Loftin said.

“This is a 100-year decision that we have addressed carefully and methodically. Texas A&M is an extraordinary institution, and we look forward to what the future may hold for Aggies worldwide.”

The announcement came a day after Texas A&M denied a New York Times report that said the Aggies have sent a letter to Missouri Chancellor and Big 12 board chairman Brady Deaton informing him they were leaving the conference.

The Aggies have expressed interest in the SEC and formally told Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe last week that they are exploring their options and asked for the conference to outline the process if they decide to leave.

Beebe said Wednesday the nine other schools in the conference are "steadfast in their commitment to the Big 12" and that the conference will be "aggressively exploring its membership options."

Missouri Chancellor Brady Deaton, chairman of the Big 12 board of directors, said the group is "committed to keeping our conference competitively and academically strong."

"We have a process in place that enables us to move aggressively regarding the possible expansion of the conference and to assure our members and student-athletes that we will take advantage of the most productive opportunities in the best interests of all," Deaton said.

Baylor-A&M Rivalry Dates Back To 1899

Baylor officials expressed disappointment Wednesday at A&M’s decision to leave the conference.

The two schools first met on the football field in 1899 and both were charter members of the Southwest Conference in 1914.

“ We have made clear that we consider such rivalries worthy of protection and so we are disappointed that the Aggies have decided to leave the Big 12,” Baylor President Ken Starr said Wednesday.

“ We continue to have immense respect for President Loftin and wish A&M well, knowing the remaining Big 12 institutions are united in a vision for an athletic conference that will remain one of the strongest and most competitive in the nation,” he said.

“We begin this next chapter focused on what is certain to be a bright future. We know that the Big 12 is an exciting and attractive conference for many reasons, including the quality of our academic programs, the strength of our athletic teams, the support of our loyal fans and the depth of our vibrant traditions. The Big 12 Conference remains strong and united,” he said.

Baylor Athletic Director Ian McCaw said Baylor is encouraged by the commitment of the remaining nine schools to the conference, but disappointed by A&M’s departure, which ends more than a century of competition between the two schools.

“We regret that Texas A&M has elected to withdraw from the Big 12 Conference. Moreover, we are disappointed that our 108-year football rivalry with the Aggies will be coming to an end for the foreseeable future. The extent of future competition in other sports with the Aggies is uncertain at this time,” he said.

State Sen. Brian Birdwell, R-Granbury, whose district includes McLennan County, promised to work to help the Big 12 maintain its status.

"I was disappointed to hear the news of Texas A&M's impending departure from the Big 12,” he said in a statement issued Wednesday afternoon.

“As Baylor and the remaining schools of the Big 12 begin this transition period, I will continue to work with Judge Starr and other community leaders to ensure that they are able to help the Big 12 maintain its status as one of the top conferences in the nation.”

Earlier this month, in a column published in the Waco Tribune-Herald, Starr, expressed hope that A&M would remain in the Big 12.

“Quite frankly, I can't imagine having a Baylor football season without a game against A&M with the Midnight Yell and the pageantry of the Fighting Texas Aggie Band marching at halftime,” he wrote.

“Any change that disrupts our current athletic affiliations will create aftershocks throughout our conference and others. I shudder to consider a future gathering of my fellow university presidents in which conversations about the disappearance of our historic rivalries lead us to consider what we were thinking back in 2011 when we let something so valuable slip away,” he wrote.

A&M’s Defection Could Affect State, Local Economies

According to a report earlier this month by economist Dr. Ray Perryman that other experts questioned, A&M’s defection could cost the state 3,050 jobs and $217.2 million in output each year, even if the rest of the conference remains intact.

The Aggies’ departure would reduce state fiscal revenue by $28.2 million a year and losses to local governments would total $13.1 million, Perryman estimated.

Read The Perryman Report

If A&M leaves the Big 12 and the conference dissolves because of other realignments, losses in total spending could top $1 billion, 8,329 jobs would be lost, state fiscal revenue would be reduced by $53. 2 million per year and local governments would lose a total of $22.6 million a year, Perryman estimated.

"Schools in the premier conferences also realize notable benefits such as national media exposure and lucrative media contracts, and the presence of four schools in a premier conference is important to Texas' ability to capitalize on the potential economic stimulus of college athletics," Perryman said.

Read The Perryman Report