Title: Big Ten and Big 12 Shake Up College Sports Landscape with Pac-12 Raid
Subtitle: Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah leave Pac-12 in face of media rights struggle
Date: [Insert Date]
In a shocking turn of events, the Big Ten and Big 12 conferences have dealt a massive blow to the Pac-12 by poaching prominent schools from the beleaguered league. On Friday, the Big Ten announced that Oregon and Washington would join its ranks next August, while the Big 12 completed its raid by adding Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah.
The day started with hope for the Pac-12, which boasted nine member schools. However, it concluded with the conference, known for its century-old history, numerous NCAA championships, and legendary athletes, reduced to only four remaining schools. The Pac-12’s downfall was primarily attributed to its inability to secure a media rights agreement that could compete with its rivals.
Expressing disappointment at the news, a statement from the Pac-12 read, “Today’s news is incredibly disappointing for student-athletes, fans, alumni, and staff of the Pac-12 who cherish the over 100-year history, tradition, and rivalries of the Conference of Champions. We remain focused on securing the best possible future for each of our member universities.”
The college sports landscape has now entered the era of super-conferences, which has led to the Pac-12’s demise. As the Big Ten paved the way for Oregon and Washington’s move, the Ducks became the first to make their departure official with a unanimous vote. The Big Ten later confirmed the acceptance of Oregon and Washington, expanding their conference to 18 teams, including four West Coast members.
Meanwhile, the Big 12 targeted three more Pac-12 schools, following their previous successful move of luring away Colorado. The Arizona State entry was approved, compelling Utah and Arizona to follow suit. The Big 12 presidents quickly sanctioned the addition of the Sun Devils and Utes, completing the official 16-team conference roster for the fall of 2024.
Commissioner Brett Yormark expressed enthusiasm about the new additions, stating, “The Conference is gaining three premier institutions both academically and athletically, and the entire Big 12 looks forward to working alongside their presidents, athletic directors, student-athletes, and administrators.”
The Pac-12, beyond this current academic year, will now consist of Stanford, California, Oregon State, and Washington State. Meanwhile, the Big Ten has now made two major acquisitions from its Rose Bowl partners in just over a year, joining the previously added Southern California and UCLA. With 15 states under its domain, the Big Ten becomes the largest conference in major college sports, stretching from New Jersey to Washington.
The decision by Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah to leave the Pac-12 came after the schools had evaluated a potential media rights deal with Apple presented by Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff earlier in the week. Initially, it seemed that the Ducks were inclined to stay within the Pac-12. However, their discomfort with the Apple deal and subsequent negotiations led them to re-engage with the Big Ten.
The Ducks and Huskies will reportedly receive a reduced payout compared to current Big Ten members, as well as USC and UCLA. While the latter two schools are projected to receive over $60 million each in media rights revenue from the conference next year, Oregon and Washington are expected to receive about $30 million per year for the first six years, with potential escalators and the ability to tap into future payments.
Washington and Oregon have been charter members of the conference since 1916, which later evolved into the Pac-8, Pac-10, and eventually the Pac-12. While the departure of USC and UCLA initiated the Pac-12’s downward spiral, the Big 12’s move to secure an extension of its media rights deals with ESPN and Fox last fall ultimately left limited options for Kliavkoff and the Pac-12.
As the football season approaches, showcasing some of the strongest and most exciting Pac-12 teams in years, the conference now faces an uncertain future. With the departure of prominent schools, it remains to be seen how the Pac-12 will navigate the challenging road ahead.
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