
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, December 6, 1993                   TAG: 9312060022
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: HOUSTON                                LENGTH: Short

NEW LEAGUE DISCUSSED

Athletic directors from several Southwest Conference and Big Eight Conference schools are discussing the formation of a conference with membership conditions that could exclude up to four SWC schools, the Houston Chronicle reported Sunday.

The Chronicle, citing unidentified sources, said the new league would include Brigham Young of the Western Athletic Conference; Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State of the Big Eight and Baylor, Texas, Texas A & M, Texas Tech, Rice, Houston, Southern Methodist and Texas Christian of the SWC.

But the Chronicle reported that financial requirements for the new league may be so expensive that four SWC schools - Houston, Rice, SMU and TCU - might be priced out of the league.

However, members of this new league would be given several years to meet the requirements.

"This is a solid option," one athletic director told the newspaper. "I certainly wouldn't say it's pie in the sky. It's a viable option."

While discussions are in the preliminary stages, more formal proposals could be prepared within 90 days.

"There will be a lot more discussion at the NCAA convention," one source said. "A lot of people think this is going to hit in February."

The NCAA convention is Jan. 8-12 in San Antonio.

Those involved in the discussions deny that the concept is a merger.

"This would not be a merger," one source said. "This would be a new league, not a merger of the two."

by CNB