Why today for this? Because June 30 marks the last day USC and UCLA could inform the Pac-12 they intend on leaving the conference if they want to avoid potential additional financial penalties, sources tell @CBSSports. The active Pac-12 grant of rights expires on June 30, 2024.
Sources across college sports are expecting a formal announcement today about USC + UCLA’s intention to leave the Pac-12. The latest a formal announcement is expected to land is tomorrow, but today is what folks are bracing for. Might even be within the hour, but we’ll see.
One conference commissioner who has been involved in realignment decisions previously told CBS Sports: "You don’t leak it unless it is done."
My understanding is this new, 16-team Big Ten would to not move to divisions, at least in the revenue-producing sports. Conferences are moving away from divisional model, and it’s unlikely the Big Ten would split and go 8 + 8.
Sources said this has not been something in the works covertly for months. It seems the Big Ten/UCLA/USC were able to come together and get this done fairly quickly. This merger is NOT why the billion-dollar Big Ten rights deal wasn’t announced earlier in June, a source added.
Lingering impression from sources across college sports: the general lack of shock over UCLA, USC's withdrawal. This isn't landing with a thunderclap like Texas + OU to the SEC. The B1G expanding again has been softly expected ever since its major realignment from ~a decade ago.
M. West schools—most notably San Diego St—making a move to the P-12 is seen as the next obvious step here. And the just-take-Gonzaga speculation will likely get buzz, though the P-12 has always rejected football-less GU from ever seriously being considered. Will this change that?
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