The Big Ten keeps getting bigger from ten.
According to reports, Pac-12 members Oregon and Washington are set to join the Big Ten according to several reports, but with news first making the rounds thanks to Dan Wetzel of Yahoo Sports, who cited sources close to the situation.
This comes on the heels of reports that the Ducks and Huskies’ foregone conclusion of leaving the Pac-12 had cooled a bit on Thursday night.
At the heart of all of the newest expansion talk seems to be surrounding the implosion of the Pac-12 because of an inability to strike a substantial media rights deal after USC and UCLA left the conference for the Big Ten last season. Add that to Colorado making the decision to join the Big 12, and things aren’t very appealing to other members of the league.
The Big Ten is in the final stages of adding Oregon and Washington as it expands to 18 teams, industry sources tell @RossDellenger and me. Ducks and Huskies have informed other Pac 12 schools they intend to leave. https://t.co/dGDn3ZwwR5
— Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) August 4, 2023
According to Wetzel, Big Ten presidents met to discuss the addition of the two schools and the demands on travel and scheduling adding two more teams out West will cause. It is not expected to hinder the two schools from the Pacific Northwest from joining the conference to make it an expanded 18-team league.
As far as negotiations go, Oregon and Washington will most likely take a cut to the deal the Big Ten made with its new media rights deal — as much as 50% of what the other institutions will receive — but that it will still be more than what was on the table for a media right package for the “conference of champions.”
Things are happening quickly too. Oregon and Washington will begin play in the Big Ten in all sports in 2024, so to say that some housecleaning needs to occur would be an understatement.
This is a developing story and one that we will continue to keep an eye on.
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