A devastating combination of the Big Ten and the Pac-12 on Friday The Big Ten announced Oregon and Washington would join the league in August next year, while it was announced that the Big 12 completed its raid of the league that was in a state of crisis by announcing Arizona, Arizona State and Utah.
The day it was started with optimism and nine players for the Pac-12 and the day it ended with the Pac 12 — which has roots that go back over 100 years and greater NCAA titles than the other league — being reduced to four schools and on the verge of the end of its existence because it was unable to sign a media rights contract to compete with its rivals.
“Today’s news is deeply sad for fans, student-athletes staff, alumni and members from the Pac 12 who are devoted to the more than 100 years of history, tradition, and rivalrie in the conference of champions,” the conference stated. “We are committed to securing the best future possible for all universities in our membership.”
The era of super-conferences has arrived in the world of college sports and has taken over the Pac-12 — the league that was the home of Jackie Robinson, John Elway, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, and Barry Bonds.
Following that, the Big Ten paved the way early on Friday for Pacific Northwest rivals to join, and the Ducks were the first to sign the official by a unanimous vote from the 13 trustees of the school. It was the Big Ten shortly after it announced that the presidents’ council decided to accept Oregon alongside Washington and transform into an 18-team coast-to-coast conference with 4 West Coast members.
“Our athletes will be able to compete at the top level of athletic competition for collegiate athletes as well as our alumni, friends, and supporters will be able to spread their love of Oregon across the nation,” Oregon President John Karl Scholz stated.
The Big 12, meanwhile, was one of three Pac-12 schools on its radar a week after it had enticed out Colorado.
Arizona’s entry was approved on Thursday night. However, the long-running expansion plan was still far from being complete.
When it was revealed in the early hours of Friday that Oregon and Washington were dropping out of the Pac-12, Arizona State and Utah were left with no choice but to leave. The Big 12 presidents OK’d the Sun Devils and Utes, shortly after which the conference officially announced. In 2024, the Big 12 will be a 16-team conference that spans the entire state of Florida to Arizona beginning in the fall of 2024.
“We are delighted to be able to welcome Arizona, Arizona State and Utah to theBest 12 Big. ” said Commissioner Brett Yormark, whose aggressive approach during his first year as commissioned has caused a stir across all major colleges sports. “The conferenced is gaining three top institutions, both academically and athletically. The whole Big 12 looks forward to working with their presidents, athletic directors, athletes and administrators.”
After this school year, the Pac-12 has been reduced to: Stanford, California, Oregon State and Washington State.
The latest acquisition of the Big Ten of the Rose Bowl partners comes less than a year after it landed in Southern California and UCLA. The Big Ten is expected to be the biggest conference in major college sports, covering 15 states ranging from New Jersey to Washington.
“The Big Ten ” is a vibrant conference with a strong academic and athletic tradition. We are thrilled and confident about a chance to compete at the top possible level on the national stage,” Washington President Ana Mari Cauce stated.
Pac-12 officials met early on Friday to determine whether the remaining schools would agree to the possibility of a media rights agreement with Apple that Commissioner George Kliavkoff announced this week.
Two sources with knowledge of the debate between Oregon and the Big Ten said Big Ten Oregon said that the Ducks were leaning towards staying within the Pac-12 late Thursday night, which increases the likelihood that other teams will remain in the Pac-12, too.
However, Oregon officials notified the Pac-12 early on Friday that they were dissatisfied with the Apple deal and that the school was re-engaged with Apple and the Big Ten.
“We are extremely disappointed by the recent decisions taken by some of our Pac-12 friends,” Washington State President Kirk Schulz and athletic director Pat Chun said Friday before the Apple Cup rival announced it had resigned. “While the hope was our members would stay together. However, this was always possible, and we’ve been working hard to figure out what the next steps to happen for Washington State athletics. We’ve been prepared for various scenarios and our current scenario.”
A former Big Ten Commissioner, Kevin Warren, has urged member schools to include Oregon and Washington following the conference’s acquisition of the Los Angeles schools last summer which was the first blow to start the decline of the Pac-12.
Two weeks back, Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti stated that his chancellors and presidents wanted to be able to concentrate on USC and UCLA’s transformation and not expand. The Pac-12’s two largest brand names and perennial football champions are headed for the same home. Washington’s and Oregon’s closest conference ally is The University of Nebraska, which will be about 1,600 miles away.
Scholz confirmed that the Ducks and Huskies would receive a smaller payment than the current Big Ten members. USC, UCLA, and UCLA are expected to earn over $60 million in media rights revenues from the league beginning next year. An individual familiar with talks said that they expected the Ducks and Huskies to receive around $30 million per year over the first six years of the league, along with annual escalators and the option to draw upon future payments.
Washington and Oregon were founding participants in the Pacific Coast Conference in 1916, which later evolved into the Pac-8 ten at first and then 12.
