Pac-12 Conference Issues Statement After Colorado Opts For Big 12

SALT LAKE CITY – The Pac-12 gave another statement Thursday afternoon after more tough news that Colorado is opting to move to the Big 12 after months of speculation.

In the wake of the latest upheaval, the Pac-12 CEO Group and athletic directors met to discuss next steps and issued yet another statement of “solidarity” per Twitter (X). 

The Pac-12 is comprised of world-leading universities and athletic programs who share a commitment to developing the next generation of leaders, supporting student-athletes’ academic and athletic excellence, and broad-based athletic success.  We remain committed to our shared values and to continuing to invest in our student-athletes. Today’s decision by the University of Colorado has done nothing to disrupt that commitment.

We are focused on concluding our media rights deal and securing our continued success and growth. Immediately following the conclusion of our media rights deal, we will embrace expansion opportunities and bring new fans, markets, excitement and value to the Pac-12.

Statement from the Pac-12 Conference: pic.twitter.com/up5hjSD1ek

— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) July 28, 2023

The Latest Gossip From The Pac-12, Big 12 After Statement

From this writer’s standpoint, not much has come out since the Colorado Regent Board meeting that affirmed the Buffaloes move back to the Big 12 in 2024.

Part of that is due to the fact the Pac-12 board members and A.D.s have been in a meeting to discuss their next move meaning; conversations have been hard to come by.

Action Network’s Brett McMurphy put out this report earlier in the evening that the Big 12 is looking to add 1-3 more schools with various combos of either other Pac-12 programs or G5 schools.

Once source I’ve talked to several times throughout the course of today’s events believes UConn to be the next to join the Big 12 while the now nine Pac-12 schools remain committed to each other. Obviously, this could prove to be true, but with how recent events have unfolded and how similar messages have been relayed in the past, I offer that piece up with much more skepticism than in past information sharing efforts.

Decisions have to and will be made by the nine remaining members of the Pac-12. Those decisions may be favorable to the conference or not. That all remains to be seen and could change quickly one way or the other as we saw with the events of today.

As always, stay tuned for updates on this ever-evolving story.

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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