"The market can force you into difficult decisions. The Pac-12's survival isn't guaranteed at all. The Big 12 is assured of at least 12 loyal members through 2030-31 beginning this fall. Well, there is below market and staying viable as a conference. However, Yormark jumped in front of the Big 12 with an October deal that was at first criticized for being below market. That probably would have solidified the league for years. Opportunity lost? There have been recent rumblings that the Pac-12 could have received the same deal the Big 12 did in October ($31.66 million per team) had it acted more aggressively in renewing its media rights. I think if they end up back as the Pac-8 or Pac-10, ," Pilson said. "I don't think they can afford to lose even two more schools. The Pac-12 cannot suffer the loss of "even two" teams and remain a viable Power Five conference, veteran media consult Neil Pilson told CBS Sports recently. In other words, the likes of Colorado State and Fresno State wouldn't be expanding the Pac-12, they would be keeping it upright. However, one industry source notes that move may not be about expansion but rather backfilling the league should the Pac-12 lose those Four Corners schools - or more. Pac-12 expansion or backfill? Pac-12 CEOs have reportedly authorized expansion by as many as four teams. (The Big Ten has yet to announce Warren's replacement.) Without Warren being around to push for those schools, it may work out for their advantage. What will happen to Oregon and Washington if they are in a sort of purgatory awaiting their conference fate? They were near the top of Warren's list as he pushed the Big Ten for further expansion after the conference finalized its new media rights deal in August.īack then, Big Ten athletic directors and presidents were against such a move that would have included Stanford and California. We haven’t decided if we’re going shopping there yet.The belief is there will be clarity about the Pac-12's future long before April 17. Kliavkoff responded to that statement at the Pac-12’s media days saying, “As for the Big 12 being open for business, I appreciate that. “We will leave no stone unturned to drive value for the conference.” “One thing is for sure: there is no doubt the Big 12 is open for business,” Yormark said at Big 12 media days. Incoming Big 12 commission Brett Yormak said weeks ago that his conference was “open for business.” It’s truly unknown which conference actually has the edge in realignment and the comments by both conference commissioners reflect that. It’s unknown what schools Kliavkoff claims were being pursued by the Big 12, but a report by CBS Sports three weeks ago suggested that the conference was about to add Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah with the possibility of also adding Oregon and Washington, the largest two brands remaining from the two conferences. I have a big collection of those messages.” “The good news is my presidents and chancellors and athletic directors forward me all those messages. “The tampering continues,” Kliavkoff said. According to Kliavkoff, that war has led to tampering on behalf of the Big 12 to snatch away one of the remaining Pac-12 teams. This has led to essentially a war between the Big 12 and Pac-12 over who is the more valuable conference. The Big 12 has since managed to stabilize itself by adding BYU, Cincinnati, Houston and UCF while the Pac-12 has yet to make any addition.īoth conferences though will have their media rights deal expire in the next few years, making this a pivotal moment for both. The two conferences have been trying to survive while their top earning members have bolted to the SEC ( Big 12’s Texas and Oklahoma) and the BIG 10 (Pac-12’s USC and UCLA) over the past two years. “I understand why they’re doing it, when you look at the media value between the two conferences. “I’ve been spending four weeks trying to defend against grenades that have been lobbed from every corner of the Big 12 trying to destabilize our remaining conference,” Kliavkoff said. Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff was pretty Frank when talking about the current conference realignment landscape, particularly about his conference and the Big 12.
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