Oregon, Washington officially leave Pac-12 for Big Ten

In a groundbreaking decision, the states of Oregon and Washington have officially sealed their entry into the Big Ten conference, effective from the 2024-25 season. This move not only adds to the dwindling strength of the Pac-12, but also raises concerns about the future of the conference.

The universities of Oregon and Washington formally applied for membership and were accepted after a successful vote by the Big Ten. Tony Petitti, the Big Ten commissioner, expressed excitement about the addition of these schools and the opportunity to build strong relationships with them.

While the financial details of this move remain unclear, both Oregon and Washington will only receive a partial share of the conference allotment until the end of the upcoming television deal in 2029-30.

With the inclusion of Oregon and Washington, the Big Ten will now consist of 18 schools, including USC, UCLA, and the newly admitted schools from the west coast. Notably, none of these schools will be required to pay an exit fee due to the expiration of the Pac-12's television deal.

The departure of Oregon and Washington puts the Pac-12 in a state of uncertainty. It has been reported that Arizona has applied and been accepted into the Big 12, although the finalization of this deal is still pending. Additionally, Utah and Arizona State have also applied for membership in the Big 12.

The future of the Pac-12 seems perilous as its television deal is set to expire after the 2023-24 school year. With the recent departure of Colorado and the expected exit of Arizona, the conference has been left significantly weakened. Only California, Stanford, Oregon State, and Washington State are certain to remain in the Pac-12 moving forward.

Although the decision of Oregon and Washington to join the Big Ten may not result in immediate financial gains, it is expected that the deal will become more lucrative over time. The payouts are projected to increase annually and potentially surpass those of other conferences such as the Big 12 and ACC.

However, the exact financial details are still uncertain, as the full-share number from the Big Ten is variable and dependent on various factors such as the longform television contract and postseason revenues. A rough estimate suggests that the annual payout could be close to $70 million.

The comparison between the financial stability offered by the Big Ten and the uncertain numbers from the Pac-12's streaming deal with Apple has played a significant role in the decision-making process.

Both Oregon and Washington expressed their gratitude to the Pac-12 while emphasizing the changing landscape of college athletics. They believe that joining the Big Ten will provide greater stability, exposure, and opportunities for their student-athletes to compete against some of the nation's best programs.

This move by the Big Ten marks a significant step towards the concept of superconferences, as they become the first major conference to expand to 18 teams. The SEC will follow suit in 2024 with the addition of Texas and Oklahoma, while the Big 12 is also expected to increase its number of teams.

The inclusion of Oregon and Washington strengthens the Big Ten's football lineup, as both schools have participated in the College Football Playoff. They will join the ranks of Ohio State, Michigan State, and Michigan as CFP contenders within the conference.