The Pac-12 conference has been gutted. Two-thirds of the conference has bolted and will no longer be in the Pac-12 after the 2023-24 academic year. On Friday evening, the conference released a statement on Twitter.
And if you’re a Pac-12 fan and were hoping for a strong statement of encouragement, you didn’t get it.
The statement did provide a vague look forward. But there was very little positive to be taken from it.
“Today’s news is incredibly disappointing for student-athletes, fans, alumni and staff of the Pac-12 who cherish the over 100-year history, tradition and rivalries of the Conference of Champions. We remain focused on securing the best possible outcome for each of our member universities.”
Statement from the Pac-12 Conference: pic.twitter.com/XKwEqw9A3C
— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) August 5, 2023
The college sports world viewed the statement in a melancholy way while also criticizing the conference leaders who oversaw the destruction.
A somber statement on a historic day in college sports: https://t.co/skCSfd3eHV
— John Fanta (@John_Fanta) August 5, 2023
Such pathetic mismanagement of the conference in recent years. What a shame. https://t.co/DJHuPHvys7
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) August 5, 2023
Whew…I was worried the PAC-12 wasn’t going to help us out of our…predicament. https://t.co/8mJNDkRa6j
— BeaverBlitz (@BeaverBlitz) August 5, 2023
— Brian Floyd (@BrianMFloyd) August 5, 2023
Pac-12 statement… took a while: https://t.co/FJYwG8UOf7
— John Canzano (@johncanzanobft) August 5, 2023
This is an excellent statement when you want to take absolutely zero responsibility for what transpired in the past year. https://t.co/FcnunSiHV4
— Thicc-Fil-A, a Habitual Pot Stirrer (@SwooshMcDuck) August 5, 2023
The Pac-4 has spoken. https://t.co/W5AoPJA8GU
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) August 5, 2023
Not sure there is anything else they can say at this point. The conference is dead – the result of poor leadership and arrogance. https://t.co/3i3Z0JDTEq
— Kyle Bonagura (@BonaguraESPN) August 5, 2023
The conference realignment updates have been frequent and at times, hard to keep track of. But as far as the Pac-12 is concerned, the departures are as follows.
USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington are joining the Big 10.
Arizona, Arizona State, Utah and Colorado are joining the Big 12.
All of those moves will be effective the 2024-25 academic year.
That leaves California, Stanford, Oregon State and Washington State. Those schools, as well as the Pac-12’s officials, will now have to figure out if the conference can be salvaged with new additions or a merger.
