Thompson said as ESPN and other traditional networks deal with a changing financial model because of shrinking cable TV subscribers, they have become more selective and frugal when it comes to buying the right to broadcast games. But if we win a bronze medal, I think we'd all declare victory." "I've never thought that winning the bronze medal was a great aspirational goal. We're not going to get an SEC deal," Robbins said then. Whether the Pac-12 implodes now or whether the Pac-12 implodes in 2030 or whether the Pac-12 stays together, CU is set," Thompson said.Īdding Arizona, Arizona State and Utah from the Pac-12 to join Colorado would make Yormark's vision a reality, but those schools are still publicly committed to their current conference.Īrizona President Robert Robbins said in June the preference is to remain in the Pac-12, but until he knows exactly what a media rights deal pays, nothing is certain. The Big 12 will never catch up at the bank to the SEC and Big Ten, but it has more stability and harmony than the beleaguered Pac-12 and anxious Atlantic Coast Conference. The Big 12 replaced the star quality brands of Texas and Oklahoma with quantity and reach (BYU, Houston, UCF and Cincinnati all joined this year). While Kliavkoff was trying to figure out a way to close the revenue gap on the Southeastern Conference and the Big Ten, Yormark realized survival was at stake for the other Power Five conferences. The Big 12 jumped the Pac-12 in line last year and grabbed a deal with ESPN and Fox that probably could have been the Pac-12's. He has envisioned a 16-team league that covers all time zones. The continuing threat to the Pac-12 is primarily the Big 12, despite Kliavkoff's dismissals ("The truth is we have bigger fish to fry," he said last week in Las Vegas at football media day.)īrett Yormark has outmaneuvered Kilavkoff since being named Big 12 commissioner a day before USC and UCLA announced they planned to switch conferences. We have a lot of work to do there," new Commissioner Tony Petitti said at Big Ten football media days earlier this week. "All the direction I'm getting from leadership. But Warren is gone now and his replacement said the Big Ten isn't eager to expand more. Under previous Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren, the Big Ten still had eyes out west, with Oregon and Washington having the most appeal of the remaining Pac-12 schools. I don't see the SEC, the Big Ten, the ACC doing anything at this point." "A lot of that comes down to how fast the Big 12 wants to expand. "I don't believe it does" said former Fox Sports executive Bob Thompson. Pac-12 presidents and chancellors, athletic directors and Kliavkoff were expected to meet Thursday to discuss next moves for the conference, two people with knowledge of the meeting told AP on condition of anonymity because the conference was not making its internal discussion public. "Immediately following the conclusion of our media rights deal, we will embrace expansion opportunities and bring new fans, markets, excitement and value to the Pac-12." "We are focused on concluding our media rights deal and securing our continued success and growth," the Pac-12 said in a statement after CU's announcement. It is becoming harder to sell that no news on a deal is good news. Still without a media rights contract to replace ones that expires next summer, Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff keeps promising that all will be well. The departure of all three next year leaves the league that has won more NCAA championships than any other facing an uncertain future. WALNUT CREEK - The conference of champions appears to be in crisis.Ĭolorado's announcement Thursday that it will return to the Big 12 comes a little more than a year after Southern California and UCLA said they were ditching the Pac-12 to join the Big Ten. Colorado approves return to Big 12: Buffaloes set to depart Pac-12 in 2024 Colorado approves return to Big 12: Buffaloes set to depart Pac-12 in 2024 02:34
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