There were no TV trucks parked outside Kansas University’s Strong Hall and athletic department offices Wednesday after Texas A&M officially announced plans to flee the Big 12 Conference.

The frenzy was missing — not at all resembling the summer of 2010 after Nebraska and Colorado issued their exit plans and rumors abounded as to various other schools jumping ship. Instead, on Wednesday KU and other Big 12 schools reacted calmly to word that the Aggies, as had been rumored for weeks, were on their way out at the end of the school year, apparently to the SEC.

“Today Texas A&M notified the Big 12 of its intention to leave the conference at the end of the 2011-12 season. The Big 12 had already started actively examining expansion opportunities and KU fully supports this effort,” KU Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little said.

“The high level of competition in the Big 12 provides tremendous value to its member schools and excitement for fans around the country. We’ll aggressively pursue the best interests of the University of Kansas, our student-athletes and fans, and that continues to be for the Big 12 to remain strong and competitive.”

Athletic director Sheahon Zenger and basketball coach Bill Self have said publicly for weeks now that an A&M move would not destroy the nine remaining institutions.

“We have known for some time that this was a possibility,” Zenger said. “We have nine institutions firmly committed to the Big 12 Conference. Chancellor Gray-Little and I will continue working together with Commissioner (Dan) Beebe, the Big 12 Board of Directors and the other conference members as we take the necessary steps to ensure the continued strength of this conference.”

KU coach Bill Self had told the Journal-World as early as Monday it was a given the Aggies were exiting the conference.

“You know, last year I was worried. This year I think our league is fine,” he said. “Hey as long as we know the other nine teams are solid, I’m OK with that. We may add (teams to league). We may not add. To be honest, nine is a perfect number for football and basketball for scheduling purposes because it reduces your league games to 16 in basketball and allows you to schedule four nonconference football games as opposed to three.

“I don’t mean to sound negative or whatever, but I don’t think that’s a dealbreaker at all,” he added, referring to the future nine-team Big 12 possibly breaking up. “Last year, Nebraska and Colorado leaving put the whole league in flux because everybody else was looking. From what I gather, other schools are solid.”

Asked by ESPN about the day’s developments, Self noted that the Longhorn Network, which so angered Texas A&M, ultimately might be a big plus in attracting new schools to the Big 12, if that’s the way the league wants to go.

“Money is driving this buggy,” he said. “If you’re in a situation where you want to create your own network, we are the only league that basically is allowing that. There is money to be made here.”

He noted, “People will say this will trigger this or trigger that. I don’t believe that. Last year when Oklahoma and Texas were on the board, that was different. We were thinking where would we go? I don’t feel that at all this time. I feel like we’re in good shape.”

KU football coach Turner Gill said: “The biggest thing for me is I have all the confidence in the world in our chancellor, Bernadette Gray-Little, and our athletic director, Sheahon Zenger, to represent KU well no matter what happens in the Big 12.”

Asked if all the talk about A&M’s departure and the future of the conference had been a distraction, Gill was direct with his answer.

“No, not at all,” he said. “It doesn’t have a direct impact on getting our football team ready to play a football game. You’ve got speculation running all over the place. I kind of hear the little mumblings and stumblings about it, and that’s about it.”

A&M will officially end its Big 12 membership on June 30, 2012.

“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 August 31, 2011. “We appreciate the Big 12’s willingness to engage in a dialogue to end our relationship through a mutually agreeable settlement,” Loftin added. “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 said it remains committed to the Big 12.

It has been speculated the Longhorns will no longer schedule the Aggies in football.

“As we stated last summer, we are strong supporters and members of the Big 12 conference,” Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds said. “Recent events have not altered our confidence in the league. A Big 12 committee is in place to look at all options, shaping the future of the conference so it will continue to be one of the top leagues in the country.”

Noted commissioner Beebe: “The presidents and chancellors of the nine remaining member institutions are steadfast in their commitment to the Big 12. As previously stated, the Conference will move forward aggressively exploring its membership options.”

In response to speculation the Beebe is targeting BYU as a possible replacement for Texas A&M, BYU issued a statement Wednesday reading, “”There is much speculation right now regarding conference affiliation that seems to change by the hour. Commenting on such conjecture is not productive and creates a distraction for our program. As we enter the 2011-12 athletic season, BYU is focused on the opportunities ahead. We are excited about our relationship with ESPN as a football independent and our affiliation with the West Coast Conference. The university will have no further comment.”

Assistant sports editor Gary Bedore and the Associated Press contributed to this report.