The University of Texas paid$ 2.3 million for an on-campus celebration of its membership in the SEC, including a performance fee for Pitbull, the artistic artist.
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 additional$ 1.07 million was paid by the Longhorns “via Learfield”, the school’s media right mate. The Learfield round includes$ 610, 000 paid in skill charges for Pitbull and another performer, according to the report.
The Longhorns held their all-day “SEC Celebration” on June 30, on the day of the school’s proper entrance into its fresh group. Starting at 1 p. m. CT, the event included live song, a festival, interactive games, photo opportunities with the Longhorns symbol Bevo and autograph sessions with Longhorns instructors. SEC director Greg Sankey and sport director Chris Del Conte were among the speakers at the SEC Network, who live-streamed the function for a few days. Following a fireworks display from the UT tower, Dog took the stage at around 9 p.m. CT.

The SEC Celebration was the first location Texas fans could purchase promotional UT x SEC merchandise, which also served as a business opportunity. While it was free to enter, donors included Motorola Razr, Also Austin Whiskey and the school’s Prolonged Campus.
The individual payments to Pitbull and” Act 2″, which appears to be 80s cover band The Spazmatics, are redacted in the document, but the total is$ 610, 000. 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 ). Three people were taken to the hospital with injuries sustained during a group crinkle when Pitbull took the stage, according to reports, and there were 50, 000 persons there.
The event’s marketing expenses includes a$ 35, 500 line item, marked” Nasdaq” for Times Square advertising—a picture of which was co-shared on Instagram by the Longhorns and the SEC. It also includes$ 52, 000 to Learfield-owned Paciolan for social media services and$ 20, 000 for TV marketing.

Texas and Learfield’s representatives declined to provide specifics about how the fees were split between the two organizations.
Texas ‘ walk from the Big 12 to the SEC was initially announced in 2021, alongside an similar move by long-time foe Oklahoma. It turned out to be a seismic time for college sports, the first step in a series of conference reforms that ultimately led to the collapse of the Pac-12, a thoroughly reorganized Big 12, and a shift in power and resources among the top tier of the NCAA. According to Sportico’s college sports collection, the SEC and Big Ten have come out as the unquestionably strong meetings, and they will join 25 of the nation’s 27 richest people athletic sections in the forthcoming school year.
Texas is at the top of that record. The Longhorns reported$ 232.3 million in athletics expenses in fiscal 2023, most among any SEC school and second only to the Big Ten’s Ohio State ($ 274.9 million ).

Oklahoma, which left the Big 12 for the SEC alongside its longstanding enemy, celebrated the shift with two days of festivities, including a 5K work, a midnight shirts sale and several different events. A Sportico open records request seeking information on those fees has not yet been returned.