USC and UCLA are in talks to leave the Pac-12 for the Big Ten as early as 2024, confirmed Nicole Auerbach of The Athletic. Big Ten presidents and sporting directors held a meeting on the subject last night. Pac-12 journalist Jon Wilner reported for the first time that the two schools were scheduled to leave as early as 2024, but that the measure “has not materialized at the highest levels of power.”
Several sources told Bruce Feldman of The Athletic that the two Pac-12 schools were the ones who contacted the Big Ten about a move.
The Big Ten is currently in negotiations over its next media rights deal. Its existing agreements with ESPN and Fox will take place during the next academic year, 2022-23. Current Pac-12 members have been together since 2011, when Colorado and Utah joined the league from the Big 12 and Mountain West, respectively. Prior to that, the last changes to membership were the addition of Arizona and Arizona State in 1978.
This is a developing story. More to come. Follow our live coverage of the reaction and analysis of the Big Ten plan to add USC and UCLA.
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