With eight teams set to leave the Pac-12 in 2024, its future in the college sports landscape is in flux with only four teams committed to the conference beyond the 2023-24 academic year. Amid that backdrop, Stanford, Cal, Oregon State and Washington State reportedly have agreed to bring in a big name to help consult on their future.
Oregon sports journalist John Canzano reports the remaining Pac-12 teams have hired Oliver Luck as a consultant to help navigate the situation. Luck has served as a football executive in multiple places, including as the West Virginia athletic director, vice president for regulatory affairs for the NCAA and commissioner and CEO of the XFL.
Luck also has a personal connection with the Pac-12 as his son, Andrew, was a star quarterback for Stanford.
Can Oliver Luck help save the Pac-4?
— John Canzano (@johncanzanobft) August 11, 2023
The four remaining members have hired Luck as a consultant, I've learned.
Oregon State, Washington State, Stanford and Cal are exploring the options.
Read: https://t.co/imDUSRiAWU
In 2021, Luck consulted with the Big 12 after Texas and Oklahoma announced their intent to move to the SEC. Two years later, the Big 12 has landed Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah as members set to join next season.
The Pac-12 has struggled to find a media rights deal, as negotiations with ESPN went poorly, and the conference pivoted to negotiations with Apple, a move which appeared to push Oregon and Washington toward the Big Ten. Now, the Pac-12 is in shambles with just four teams committed and no TV deal in sight.
