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Washington State president Kirk Schulz didn’t expect Washington and Oregon to exit the Pac-12 for a move to the Big Ten.
In a letter to “Cougar Nation” on Monday, Schulz said he was “shocked” by the decisions made by both schools, saying that their decisions to join the Big Ten “sealed the fate of the Pac-12.”
“On Friday morning, we were shocked when the University of Washington and the University of Oregon announced they had accepted Big Ten invitations,” Schulz wrote. “I genuinely felt that on Friday morning we would sign the needed paperwork, finalize the deal with Apple, and move the Pac‑12 toward a new and brighter future.”
The Pac-12 is in disarray following the departures of Oregon, Washington, UCLA and USC to the Big Ten as well as Arizona, Arizona State, Utah and Colorado to the Big 12. The conference has just four teams remaining in Cal, Oregon State, Stanford and Washington State.
Brett McMurphy of Action Network reported Friday that the Big Ten is “contemplating whether to stand at 18 or consider adding Stanford and Cal, or possibly any ACC schools that may leave.”
Meanwhile, Pete Thamel of ESPN reported on Monday that the ACC will explore the possibility of adding Cal and Stanford.
The downfall of the Pac-12 is in part due to the conference’s inability to land a suitable new media rights contract. The conference’s current deal with Fox and ESPN will expire after the 2023-24 campaign.
The primary media rights option presented to Pac-12 members was a subscription-based Apple streaming deal, Thamel and Heather Dinich of ESPN reported last week.
“While several options were presented, the Apple streaming deal emerged as the likely leader at this point, bringing some clarity to a lengthy process that frustrated many within the league and ultimately played a role in Colorado’s decision last week to join the Big 12,” Thamel and Dinich wrote. “Monetary and exposure questions still loom, though, and outside pressure from the Big 12 remains.”
With the Pac-12 nearing extinction, Schulz confirmed Monday that Washington State is exploring its options, including the possibility of leaving the conference:
“Immediately after the decision, Pat Chun and I started reaching out to colleagues around the nation to start working on options for Cougar Athletics. We talked with multiple conference commissioners, presidents and chancellors, athletic directors, and other leaders in college athletics. These efforts continued through the weekend — and will continue until we find a suitable home for Washington State athletics. I am in regular contact with the leaders from the remaining Pac‑12 schools and will continue to do so moving forward.”
A potential merger between the Pac-12 and Mountain West has been rumored, with the MWC receptive to the idea, according to Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger. Mountain West has 11 programs, and merging with the Pac-12 would form a 15-team conference.
With the college football landscape continuing to change, all options are on the table for the Pac-12’s remaining members.
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