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The Texas Longhorns are officially SEC members after making the transition out of the Big 12 this offseason. To commemorate the move, the school threw a party in Austin.
That celebration reportedly cost a small fortune as the Longhorns flaunted their incredible wealth to others around the league. Everything’s bigger in Texas!
UT is making the conference change alongside rival Oklahoma, who threw a party of their own in Norman. That gathering paled in comparison to the festivities that tooko place in the Lone Star State.
@marykimball83SEC Celebration🎉University of Texas at Austin🤘🏻🧡♬ original sound – marykimball83
Texas had live music, a parade, and autograph sessions with players and coaches while having the SEC Network on hand to capture the excitement.
Headlining the event was rap artist Pitbull, whom the ‘Horns paid handsomely for his performance.
Even rival fans had to check it out!
@lindavalntina just 3 aggies crashing the sec party… welcome to the big leagues 😉 #pitbull #texas #pitbullconcert #gigem #texasaggies #collegelife #college #lifestyle #outfitideas #concertoutfit ♬ I know you want me – PITBULL
In all, the Texas Longhorns are reported to have spent $2.3 million on the SEC party.
More from Sportico:
Those costs include $889,000 paid directly by the school’s athletics department, plus another $339,000 for advertising, according to a budget document obtained by Sportico via an open records request. The other $1.07 million was paid by the Longhorns “via Learfield,” the school’s multimedia rights partner. The Learfield tranche includes $610,000 paid in talent fees for Pitbull and another artist, according to the document…
The event budget also includes everything from the lighting system ($86,750) and water for the crew ($600), to payment to police for street closures ($16,927) and security ($35,761).
Sportico also reported a $35,500 advertising cost to promote the league switch in Times Square, a move some saw as a final parting jab at the Big 12.
Texas is one of the most valuable brands in college football, and their wealth is almost unmatched.
The Longhorns spared no expense in the SEC celebration as they emphatically announced their introduction to the league!