Multiple reports indicate the Big 12 is meeting with representatives from four Pac-12 schools — Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah — to discuss bringing them on board.
Last year, the Big 12’s top two brands, Texas and Oklahoma, announced they would go for the SEC, effective 2025. Last week, the draws of the Pac-12, USC, and UCLA, the conference for the Big, jumped. Ten, effective in 2024.
So what’s next in college football roulette?
If the reports are correct, the Big 12 can expand its members by taking the Pac-12.
At the same time, ASU seems to prefer to stay in the Pac-12.
Athletic Director Ray Anderson just released a statement on the latest happenings:
“ASU remains fully committed to the Pac-12 conference. ASU continues to work closely with the other remaining conference members to advance the interests of its student-athletes and to support the continued success of the conference itself.”
One of the biggest problems the Pac 12 has had is the bad media rights deal negotiated by previous commissioner Larry Scott, who left the conference a year ago with George Kliavkoff as his successor. The Pac-12 reportedly distributed $344 million to its members in fiscal 2021, while the Big Ten generated $680 million.
Perhaps in an effort to assuage fears in the conference at this point, the Pac-12 released a statement Tuesday saying it would immediately begin negotiations on its next TV contract, with the intention of continuing at ten. at least the 10 remaining members, assuming they don’t. don’t leave either. The Pac-12’s current deal with Fox and ESPN expires in 2024. Losing the lucrative Los Angeles market will undoubtedly have a major impact on the new deal the Pac-12 can negotiate.
Read more: Departure from UCLA, USC is a seismic blow to Pac-12 Conference
Arizona and Arizona State have both been members of the Pac-12 since 1978. Colorado and Utah were the latest additions, the last time the Pac-12 expanded from 10 to 12 teams in 2011.
Colorado, which hands out teams in 17 sports, was part of the Big 12 from 1994 until it transitioned to the Pac-12.
The Buffalos echoed the sentiment of their ASU counterparts.
A joint statement from CU Boulder Chancellor Dr. Philip DiStefano and Athletic Director Rick George read:
“CU Boulder supports the Pac-12 board’s decision this morning to begin negotiations on media rights for conferences. We are committed to the Pac-12 conference and look forward to actively participating in those talks.”
Utah, which has teams in 19 sports, was part of the Western Athletic Conference and later the Mountain West. The addition of Utah makes sense, as it would give that conference a natural travel partner in BYU, moving from independent status to a Big 12 member in 2023.
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The other option, which the Pac-12 also announced, would be bringing in teams to replace those that have left. San Diego State, which currently competes in the Mountain West, is the most common name. Not only would it give the Pac-12 a presence in Southern California again, but that school traditionally has strong teams in football and men’s basketball, the money sports that power the college’s athletic reshuffle train.
Others that have come forward include Boise State and UNLV and possibly SMU if the Pac-12 were to poach the American Athletic Conference teams.
Related: Arizona Schools to Big 12? Notre Dame at Big Ten? Let’s Play College Football Bingo
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: ASU, Arizona Between Pac-12 Schools Talks to Big 12 About Relocation