Pac-12 implosion inevitable as Big 12 expansion adds 3 more Pac-12 powerhouses after a long back-and-forth: Reports
The Big 12 has reportedly added three more teams from the Pac-12.
After Colorado announced it would be leaving the Pac-12 for the Big 12, reports came out that Oregon, Utah, Washington, Arizona and Arizona State could all be looking to change conferences.
Now, according to C.W. Lambert, the Big 12 is set to add Arizona, Arizona State and Utah, the reigning back-to-back Pac-12 champion.
"Sometime within the next 24-48 hours news will break that Arizona, Arizona State and Utah are leaving for the Big 12," Lambert wrote. "The announcement isn't going to surprise anyone, but it will be a shock to a few who were emotionally invested in the veneer of elitism membership ... the Pac 12 provided."
Adding Arizona, ASU and Utah is massive for the Big 12 and a big blow to the Pac-12. The conference has now lost six schools and could be losing more, which means the conference could be no more.
However, as Lambert writes, the news of those three teams joining is not surprising. It has been reported for some time that Arizona, ASU and Utah would be joining the Big 12.
What is the future of the Pac-12?
With ASU, Arizona, and Utah now all leaving the Pac-12, it's uncertain what the next step for the conference is.
There have been reports that the Pac-12 could merge with the Mountain West Conference. Regardless, this is disappointing news for all Pac-12 fans and commissioner George Kliavkoff, who recently thought the remaining Pac-12 teams were committed to the league.
“At this point, our 10 schools are completely focused on the future and being together. … It’s now almost a running joke at our board meetings: ‘What’s the latest nonsense that someone has thrown against the wall and seeing whether someone will report?'” Kliavkoff said.
The Pac-12 recently brokered a media rights deal to stream its games on Apple, but it had to be voted on by the programs. After three more teams left, that deal could fall through, and the Pac-12 will be forced to find a new media rights deal along with more teams to fill out the conference.