Report: Arizona Inching Closer To A Decision To Join Big 12?
Aug 3, 2023, 7:35 PM | Updated: Aug 4, 2023, 10:13 am
SALT LAKE CITY – Could the next domino in the end of the Pac-12 be falling? According to a Tweet from ESPN’s Pete Thamel it appears Arizona is deep in discussions with the Big 12 about joining the league.
The Wildcats have a regents’ board meeting scheduled for later tonight according to Thamel that could be the final nail in the coffin.
This comes of the heels of knowledge the Big Ten has been vetting Washington and Oregon for admittance into their conference in the even the Pac-12 doesn’t survive. There has been heavy speculation ASU and Utah will likely move to the Big 12 as well if the above-mentioned events truly take place.
Sources: Arizona is in deep discussions with the Big 12 about joining the league. Some finality is expected in the near future, as there’s an Arizona Board of Regents meeting scheduled for later tonight.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 4, 2023
Big 12 Approves Arizona Application According To Ross Dellenger
Minutes later, Yahoo Sports writer Ross Dellenger Tweeted the Big 12 has approved Arizona’s application to be their 14th member. Arizona’s board of regents will still need to sign off on the Wildcats’ move, but it’s one more hurdle out of the way.
Big 12 executives met Thursday to approve the application of Arizona as a 14th member, sources tell @YahooSports, paving the way for the Wildcats to enter the conference. It is another step in UA’s path to join. The final step would be approval from its Board of Regents.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) August 4, 2023
How Did The Pac-12 Get Here?
After months, and months, and months of speculation, Colorado made a move back to their original roots in the Big 12 from the Pac-12.
Since news broke last year that USC and UCLA were making a move to the Big Ten in 2024, rumors have been abound as to whether any other Pac-12 schools would be leaving.
At first the fear was that Washington and Oregon would shortly follow the SoCal schools to the Big Ten, but those fears were put to rest fairly quickly (for the time being). All eyeballs then moved to the “Four Corner” schools with all sorts of rumors floating about of any combination of Utah, Arizona, ASU, and Colorado leaving for the Big 12.
Ultimately, Colorado was the first to pull the trigger holding a Board of Regents meeting nearly a week after Pac-12 Media Day, voting unanimously to move back to the Big 12 in 2024.
After that move was made, rumblings of Arizona making the next move grew louder, but not before the remaining nine Pac members met this past Tuesday to go over a media deal with commissioner George Kliavkoff. That meeting adjourned with nothing signed and the remaining members stating they need to have another meeting in the near future.
Thamel reported earlier in the day that the remaining nine Pac-12 schools would be holding a meeting Friday morning for further discussions on the deal, but it’s unclear how that may work with his latest Tweet indicating Arizona is looking to push forward with the Big 12.
We will update this story with more details as they become available.
Michelle Bodkin is the Utah Utes Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of both the Crimson Corner Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and The Saturday Show (Saturday from 10 a.m.–12 p.m.) on The KSL Sports Zone. Follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Threads: @BodkinKSLsports
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