Headline: College Sports Deja Vu: The Never-Ending Cycle of Realignment Continues
Subheadline: Big 12 and Pac-12 on the Brink of Radical Restructuring Amidst Reports of Potential Moves
In a case of realignment déjà vu, college sports finds itself once again on the verge of a major shakeup. Reminiscent of the 2010 saga, where the Pac-10 sought to put the Big 12 out of business, the current landscape in August 2023 has the Big 12 attempting to do the same to the Pac-12. With Colorado already departed and rumors swirling around Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah, the future of the Pac-12 hangs in the balance.
Adding to the chaos, the Big Ten has unexpectedly entered the mix, exploring the possibility of adding West Coast schools. Reports suggest that Oregon, Washington, Stanford, and Cal are all on the radar. Meanwhile, Florida State’s president has openly threatened to leave the ACC, signaling potential trouble for the league.
The earthquake that began with Texas and Oklahoma’s move to the SEC in 2021 and intensified with USC and UCLA joining the Big Ten in 2022 has set the stage for what could be the most significant restructuring of major college football in the past 30 years. However, amidst the speculation, the only concrete moves so far involve Colorado and potentially Utah, creating a strange parallel to the events of 2010.
This ongoing cycle of realignment, which seemed to calm down from 2014-2020, has been reignited with a vengeance. The recent developments seem more cutthroat than ever before, with multiple conferences vying for supremacy.
The Pac-12 finds itself in a dire situation. After a year-long saga, commissioner George Kliavkoff finally presented a media rights deal that left initial reports disheartening. Apple would become the primary distributor, offering an unconventional revenue structure tied to streaming subscriptions. While the Pac-12 could potentially withstand one more defection, two or three losses would be devastating.
In a surprising twist, the Big Ten, which had shown little interest in expanding, is now cautiously exploring the addition of Pac-12 schools. This move reflects the fragile state of the Pac-12 and the potential decline in revenues from traditional TV companies.
Florida State’s threats to leave the ACC add another layer of uncertainty. While the school’s desire for a radical change in revenue distribution has been met with skepticism due to existing grant-of-rights agreements, the possibility of the Seminoles departing cannot be ruled out.
Beyond the conference drama, TV networks that have historically driven realignment are facing their own existential crisis. With ESPN and other media companies cutting costs, the landscape of sports TV rights has dramatically shifted. The Big Ten’s record-setting deals in 2022 may not be replicable, and the hopes of streamers like Amazon and Apple throwing money at college sports have largely been dashed.
As the college sports world holds its breath, awaiting further developments, the Pac-12 remains the focal point. With the Big Ten monitoring from a distance and the Pac-12’s future hanging in the balance, the chain of disruption and realignment seems far from over. Only time will tell if the alliances and rivalries that have defined college sports for over a century will continue to give way to the relentless pursuit of TV revenue.