Amid the news of Cal, Stanford and SMU joining the ACC effective in 2024, American Athletic Conference commissioner Mike Aresco said Friday that his league is no longer considering westward expansion.
That statement, of course, eliminates Washington State and Oregon State from consideration for the conference, at least for now.
So what are the options for Cougars and the Beavers as the Pac-12 disintegrates before their eyes?
Mountain West inclusion, or independence, could be the best course of action for the last two Pac-12 holdovers, according to Jon Wilner of The Mercury News. There is also the far-fetched suggestion that the two teams could try to rebuild the Pac-12 by raiding rival leagues.
The latter suggestion, at this point, remains unlikely, but could make the most sense for both Washington State and Oregon State. This is because the Pac-12 bylaws suggest that the Cougars and Beavers would control the conference’s assets if the legal entity were to remain intact. If the two schools depart for another conference, such as the Mountain West, the conference assets would be divided by 12 across all former member institutions.
“It may not make sense for Washington State and Oregon State to go into another conference. If you dissolve the Pac-12, then you’d divide by 12,” a source told Wilner.
As for what the assets are that remain in the Pac-12, the most prominent are NCAA tournament unit that carry a value of more than $60 million through 2029. Other conference assets include an emergency reserve fund, sponsorships and the Pac-12 network infrastructure.
Instead of joining the Mountain West, the geographical location of MWC schools could make sense to add to a new Pac-12. As for what the motivation for those schools to join a beleaguered Pac-12, one source described it to Wilner best.
“No brand in the Group of 5 has the value of the Pac-12 brand. If you have the brand, you own the history.”
Of course, the canary in the coal mine remains the Pac-12’s lack of a new media rights deal, which no television or streaming carrier would be interested in negotiating without knowing who the member schools will be.
There are no easy answers for Washington State or Oregon State at this juncture, but independence might make more sense than bolting for another conference at this particular point in time.
