A mass exodus of schools has changed the landscape of the Pac-12 conference. Washington State athletic director Pat Chun expressed his disappointment during a press conference, blaming the conference’s mismanagement for the loss of a once prestigious conference in college football. Chun specifically pointed to the poor leadership as one of the major factors contributing to the Pac-12’s decline.
The criticism is primarily directed at the two recent Pac-12 commissioners, Larry Scott and George Kliavkoff, who failed to secure a media rights deal that could have kept the conference competitive with other power conferences. This failure led to the departure of notable schools such as Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Arizona State, Utah, and Colorado.
Chun emphasized the need for better leadership in college football as a whole to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.
Washington State is now considering various options for its own future. These options include joining the Mountain West Conference, merging with other conferences, or revitalizing the Pac-12 with a new lineup. However, the final decision will depend on the actions of Stanford and Cal, as Washington State does not want to make a move without knowing their plans.
CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd reported that ACC schools are evaluating the potential value that Stanford, Cal, and potentially SMU could bring to the conference. However, any expansion that may reduce the current average annual distribution of $39.4 million to existing members is deemed unacceptable by ACC leadership, according to Yahoo Sports.
