Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Signs Law Redrawing Congressional Maps

3 hours ago

US Air Force will Offer Military Funeral Honors to Slain Capitol Rioter

4 hours ago

US Republican Senator Joni Ernst Will Not Run for Re-Election, CBS News Reports

6 hours ago

Wall Street Falls as Dell, Nvidia Drive Tech Losses

6 hours ago

US Denies Visas to Palestinian Officials Ahead of UN General Assembly

8 hours ago

Minneapolis Children Revealed Courage, Absorbed Fear During Church Shooting

1 day ago

Ford Recalls Nearly 500,000 Vehicles Over Brake Fluid Leak

1 day ago

Fresno-Bound Passenger Says Delta Attendant Slapped Him, Seeks $20M

1 day ago
Pac-12 Eyes Gonzaga, Utah State, and UNLV as Mountain West Fights to Retain Schools
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 11 months ago on
September 23, 2024

Air Force running back Aiden Calvert stiff-arms Baylor linebacker Keaton Thomas while running toward the sidelines during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Waco, Texas. (AP/Rod Aydelotte)

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The Pac-12 is in discussions with basketball powerhouse Gonzaga to join the rebuilding conference in 2026, three people with knowledge of the talks told The Associated Press on Monday, and is also targeting more Mountain West schools after raiding that league two weeks ago.

Utah State and UNLV were the main targets for the Pac-12, but the Mountain West was working to keep its remaining eight schools together. Utah State was expected to make the move to the Pac-12, but UNLV’s decision remained uncertain, according to two of the people.

The Mountain West received commitments from Air Force and San Jose State to stay put, according to two other people with knowledge of that conference’s situation.

The other Mountain West schools include New Mexico, Wyoming, Nevada and Hawaii for football only.

The people all spoke on condition of anonymity because both Pac-12’s and Mountain West’s strategy and internal discussions were not being made public.

AAC Schools Remain Committed

The Pac-12’s moves came after four American Athletic Conference schools, who had been pitched on joining the reconstructed league, announced they remained committed to the AAC.

Memphis, Tulane, South Florida, UTSA and the American Athletic Conference released a statement that made no mention of the Pac-12, but several people with knowledge of those talks told AP the conference had targeted those schools as potential new members.

“While we acknowledge receiving interest in our institutions from other conferences, we firmly believe that it is in our individual and collective best interests to uphold our commitment to each other,” the schools said. “Together, we will continue to modernize the conference, elevate the student-athlete experience, achieve championship-winning successes, and build the future.”

Pac-12 Restocking for 2026

The Pac-12 began to restock for a 2026 relaunch two weeks ago by landing Boise State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Colorado State from the Mountain West to join Washington State and Oregon State, the only two Pac-12 schools left after a dramatic round of realignment took effect this summer.

The Pac-12 needs at least two more members in all sports to reach the eight required to be a recognized conference with access to NCAA championships and the College Football Playoff in 2026.

If Utah State leaves the Mountain West for the Pac-12 and UNLV and the rest stay put, both the Pac-12 and the Mountain West would be at seven members in need of more additions.

Gonzaga’s Potential Impact

Adding Gonzaga would give the Pac-12 one of the best men’s basketball programs in the country. The Bulldogs have thrived in the West Coast Conference, reaching the NCAA Tournament every year it has been played since 1998, with two Final Four appearances and eight seasons of at least 30 victories. Gonzaga does not have a football program.

The school has in the past talked to the Big East about conference affiliation, and the Big 12 has discussed potentially adding Gonzaga to its strong men’s basketball lineup, as it did with UConn earlier this year. The Zags have also become a perennial tournament team in women’s basketball.

Financial Considerations

One person with knowledge of the discussions between the Pac-12 and AAC schools said the conference’s pitch included a projected $12 million to $15 million annual media-rights distribution to each school. The schools were also presented with options to join solely in football and basketball to alleviate travel costs associated with other sports programs making trips across one or two times zones.

All the Pac-12 schools are in the Mountain and Pacific time zones. The Pac-12 was targeting new members in the Central time zone as a way to potentially increase value for potential television partners.

Leaving the AAC would have been costly for the schools. The conference’s bylaws require a 27-month notification for departing schools and a $10 million exit fee. An early departure, which would be necessary, would cost more. When UConn left the AAC to return to the Big East it cost the school $17 million. The AAC received $25 million from SMU for an expedited move to the ACC this year.

The Pac-12 and its four newest members are already on the hook for about $110 million in exit fees and penalties to the Mountain West, a potentially windfall for that conference to share with schools that choose to stay.

Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould has declined to detail how that cost will be shared by the incoming schools and conference, which is sitting on about $250 million in revenue the previous iterration of the Pac-12 was in line to receive this year and next.

A football scheduling agreement between Oregon State, Washington State and the Mountain West, which was not renewed for next year, includes a poaching penalty of more than $10 million per school that increases as the number of schools the Pac-12 takes increases.

The penalty would be $12 million if the Pac-12 takes one more Mountain West school, and increases to $12.5 million for the next one. That’s on top of a $17 million exit fee.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Florida Man Indicted for Fentanyl Smuggling Scheme Using Drones

DON'T MISS

Egypt Rounds up Teenaged TikTokkers in Crackdown on Social Media

DON'T MISS

Fresno Shelter Helps Homeless Recover from Hospital Stays. It’s Also a ‘Good Neighbor’

DON'T MISS

Drive-Thru Debate Heats Up at Fresno City Council Meeting

DON'T MISS

Judge Blocks Enforcement of Texas Law Restricting DEI and ESG Advice

DON'T MISS

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Signs Law Redrawing Congressional Maps

DON'T MISS

Trump Cancels $4.9 Billion in Foreign Aid, Escalating Spending Fight with Congress

DON'T MISS

U.S. News Releases Best High School Rankings. How Did Fresno Schools Do?

DON'T MISS

Trump Ends Security Protection for Former Vice President Harris

DON'T MISS

Fresno Labor Day Traffic Alert for Motorists Using Maroa Avenue

UP NEXT

Egypt Rounds up Teenaged TikTokkers in Crackdown on Social Media

UP NEXT

Fresno Shelter Helps Homeless Recover from Hospital Stays. It’s Also a ‘Good Neighbor’

UP NEXT

Drive-Thru Debate Heats Up at Fresno City Council Meeting

UP NEXT

Fresno Labor Day Traffic Alert for Motorists Using Maroa Avenue

UP NEXT

Fresno State Coordinators Outline Bulldog Bounceback for Georgia Southern

UP NEXT

Gentle Sweet Sasha Is Guaranteed to Steal Your Heart

UP NEXT

Clovis Police to Increase DUI Patrols on Labor Day Weekend

UP NEXT

US Republican Senator Joni Ernst Will Not Run for Re-Election, CBS News Reports

UP NEXT

Wall Street Falls as Dell, Nvidia Drive Tech Losses

UP NEXT

Israeli Military Says Local Tactical Pause Will Not Apply to Gaza City

Drive-Thru Debate Heats Up at Fresno City Council Meeting

2 hours ago

Judge Blocks Enforcement of Texas Law Restricting DEI and ESG Advice

2 hours ago

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Signs Law Redrawing Congressional Maps

3 hours ago

Trump Cancels $4.9 Billion in Foreign Aid, Escalating Spending Fight with Congress

3 hours ago

U.S. News Releases Best High School Rankings. How Did Fresno Schools Do?

3 hours ago

Trump Ends Security Protection for Former Vice President Harris

4 hours ago

Fresno Labor Day Traffic Alert for Motorists Using Maroa Avenue

4 hours ago

Turkey Bars Israeli Ships from Its Ports and Restricts Airspace

4 hours ago

UK, France, Germany Urge Iran to Agree to Deal to Delay UN Sanctions

4 hours ago

US Air Force will Offer Military Funeral Honors to Slain Capitol Rioter

4 hours ago

Florida Man Indicted for Fentanyl Smuggling Scheme Using Drones

A Florida man has been indicted on federal charges on Thursday accusing him of conspiring with inmates to smuggle fentanyl and contraband ce...

2 minutes ago

The seal of the U.S. Justice Department is seen on the podium in the Department's headquarters briefing room before a news conference with the Attorney General in Washington, January 24, 2023. (Reuters File)
2 minutes ago

Florida Man Indicted for Fentanyl Smuggling Scheme Using Drones

Abdulrahman Hisham, 20, an Egyptian social media content creator, looks at his page with several videos, amid a wave of cases prompting Egypt to consider tighter regulations on social media platforms at his residence in n Cairo, Egypt August, 20, 2025. REUTERS/Amr Abdallah Dalsh
6 minutes ago

Egypt Rounds up Teenaged TikTokkers in Crackdown on Social Media

1 hour ago

Fresno Shelter Helps Homeless Recover from Hospital Stays. It’s Also a ‘Good Neighbor’

A Dutch Bros Coffee employee takes customers drink orders at cars lined up at a drive-thru.
2 hours ago

Drive-Thru Debate Heats Up at Fresno City Council Meeting

2 hours ago

Judge Blocks Enforcement of Texas Law Restricting DEI and ESG Advice

3 hours ago

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Signs Law Redrawing Congressional Maps

3 hours ago

Trump Cancels $4.9 Billion in Foreign Aid, Escalating Spending Fight with Congress

Fresno area schools on U.S. News's Best High School Ranking
3 hours ago

U.S. News Releases Best High School Rankings. How Did Fresno Schools Do?

Search

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Send this to a friend