The Pac-12 and Big 12 continue to fight for leverage, money, memberships, and seemingly everything else under the sun in college sports. A new plot twist: They might be fighting over Gonzaga, though the extent of that particular battle is unclear.
On Wednesday afternoon, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that Gonzaga Athletic Director Chris Standiford talked to Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark while the GU basketball team was in Texas to play Tennessee in a preseason scrimmage.
ESPN college basketball reporter and columnist Dana O’Neil subsequently tweeted confirmation of Thamel’s report from a second source, noting that talks between Gonzaga and the Big 12 are only in the “exploratory” stage. So, it’s not as though a deal is about to be reached. Yet, it’s clearly another statement by the Big 12 about its intentions, which clash with the Pac-12’s best interests. Let’s break down this situation and provide some other notes you need to be aware of: