It happened. Arizona State left the Pac-12 and moved to the Big 12 on a remarkable, memorable Friday that shook college sports to its core.
ASU President Michael Crow did not want to leave the Pac-12. Remember: He was one of the most ardent defenders and advocates of Larry Scott.
Moreover, ASU enrollment has been fueled in part by Californians. The state of Arizona’s population has grown in recent years because of an exodus from California. The demographics of the state of Arizona are changing. They seemed to nail down ASU to the Pac-12, but, of course, the incompetence of George Kliavkoff and the Pac-12 CEO Group (of which Crow has been a central part) created a stampede out the door.
That stampede began with Colorado in late July. The University of Arizona began to lose trust in Kliavkoff while realizing — as did Oregon and Washington — that the money for a TV deal simply wouldn’t be there with only nine schools left.
Now there are only four left.
See how Twitter reacted when Arizona State moved to the Big 12: