Why Does the Pac-12 Need to Expand & add more schools?
Conference realignment continues to stir confusion, especially for those outside the West. Why didn’t the two remaining Pac-12 schools merge with the Mountain West?
And why are there nearly $150 million in exit fees to recreate what looks like the Mountain West?
The situation escalated into a court battle after the Pac-12 filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against the Mountain West Conference.
Ironically, Washington State and Oregon State will use the leftover funds from the old Pac-12—around $250 million—to pay for four Mountain West schools that the former Pac-12 overlooked. Bringing in any additional MWC members would likely reduce that financial reserve.
NCAA bylaws give conferences a two-year grace period to rebuild to the required eight members for full status.
The Pac-12 also lost its “autonomous” status, a classification that gives conferences certain rule-making powers.
The Pac-12 must again reach eight members to regain eligibility for College Football Playoff (CFP) automatic bids.
With the recent addition of Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Utah State, the conference has seven members for 2026.
Why not simply not join the Mountain West into one big happy conference?
Oregon State and Washington State planned to maintain their status as power conference schools after the other 10 Pac-12 members announced their departures.
Their primary goal was to secure invitations from either the ACC or Big 12, avoiding a move to a Group of 5 conference. However, this strategy fell through and did not go as planned.
The ACC didn’t expand beyond adding Cal, Stanford, and SMU, and internal disputes with Florida State and Clemson prevented further changes.
The Big 12 wasn’t interested in adding more than the four Pac-12 schools it had already taken.
As a result, Oregon State and Washington State chose to rebuild the Pac-12 by adding new schools but avoided taking lower-tier programs from the Mountain West
Ironically, Washington State and Oregon State will use the leftover funds from the old Pac-12—around $250 million—to pay for four Mountain West schools that the former Pac-12 overlooked. Bringing in any additional MWC members would likely reduce that financial reserve.
Mountain West throws out a lifeline to the Pac-12
In late 2023, Oregon State and Washington State faced the challenge of finding homes and schedules for their teams for the 2024 season.
Though the Pac-12 still technically existed, it lacked enough members to determine a champion or complete a full schedule.
The Mountain West offered a solution, proposing a 2024 football scheduling agreement.
This deal removed one conference game from each of the 12 Mountain West teams and replaced it with a game against Oregon State or Washington State.
In return, the Pac-12 paid the Mountain West $14 million. The agreement also laid the groundwork for a potential merger and included provisions for a basketball scheduling agreement.
It allowed for a possible extension into 2025 and ensured the terms would remain in effect for two years after the agreement’s conclusion.
Additionally, the agreement included penalties if Oregon State or Washington State joined a conference outside the Power 4 or Mountain West.
The agreement also included a clause for poaching fees: if the Pac-12 added Mountain West schools, it would cost between $10 million for one school and up to $137.5 million for 11 schools.
This poaching fee starts at $10 million and increases by an increment of $500,000 for every additional school the Pac-12 adds from the Mountain West. With four already on board, the total is $43 million.
So the bottom line is that the Pac-12 would have to pay $43 million in poaching fees (having to be paid in 30 days), which they agreed to when they needed the Mountain West Conference to schedule games after most of the original teams left.
However, adding all 12 Mountain West schools would be free or no penalty to encourage a complete merger.
Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez described this provision as a way for the conference to protect itself, and it was very wise to protect the MWC.
“To say that the Mountain West was taking advantage of the Pac-12 could not be farther from the truth,” part of the statement from Navarez read.
“The Mountain West Conference wanted to help the Pac-12 schools and student-athletes, but not at the expense of the Mountain West.
The Pac-12 has taken advantage of our willingness to help them and enter a scheduling agreement with full acknowledgment and legal understanding of their obligations.”
This is one of those unspoken statements: Don’t mistake our kindness for weakness comments from the MWC’s fearless leader.
The agreement was signed by Oregon State, Washington State, Nevarez, and former Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff.
Some possible reasons for the big four leaving from the MWC to Pac-12
On September 12, the Pac-12 announced it was adding Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, and San Diego State from the Mountain West, with plans for them to join the league in 2026.
This deal came together quickly after talks to extend the scheduling agreement fell through.
These four schools believed that Pac-12’s brand, resources, and more significant investment from its two remaining members would provide more benefits than remaining in conferences with less-resourced institutions such as San Jose State, Nevada, and Hawaii.
However, adding these four schools still left the Pac-12 short of the required eight members.
Oregon State athletic director Scott Barnes indicated that the league planned to add two to four more schools, with no geographic limits, and that football would be a key factor in selecting the following members.
Searching for additional FBS Playoff Spot
With only two members, the Pac-12 cannot secure one of the automatic College Football Playoff (CFP) spots for the highest-ranked conference champions in 2024 or 2025.
Instead, they can only compete for the seven at-large spots. Starting in 2026, a new ESPN agreement, signed by the remaining Power 4 conferences earlier this year, allocates more money to those leagues, with the SEC and Big Ten receiving the largest share. Group 5 schools will continue receiving about the same as they do now.
Since the Pac-12 wasn’t a defined conference during these negotiations, it wasn’t part of the 2026 agreement.
However, Oregon State and Washington State eventually secured $3.6 million annually under the new deal.
For comparison, Big 12 and ACC schools will receive around $12-13 million per school.
It’s still unclear how much the Pac-12’s new members will get from the CFP, though they were set to receive about $1.8 million as part of the Group of 5. The agreement includes a financial review clause in 2028.
The 12-team CFP format initially reserved six automatic qualifying spots for conference champions. However, after the Pac-12 was raided, that number dropped to five.
Future CFP formats are expected to continue offering only five automatic spots for conference champions, with no additional one added for a new league.
American Athletic Conference says, “No, thank you”
The Pac-12 aimed to expand beyond its initial Mountain West additions by targeting schools from the AAC, hoping to form a stronger non-power conference. Memphis, Tulane, USF, and UTSA were approached with proposals to join.
Still, all four schools remained in the AAC and the rest of the conference on Monday.
Pac-12 consultants projected that each school could earn between $10 and $15 million annually through a new television deal, a significant increase compared to the $7-8 million for legacy AAC schools and $6 million for Mountain West schools.
However, this revenue estimate was only speculative, as the Pac-12 lacks an active TV deal for 2026 and beyond.
The uncertainty of the deal, combined with high travel costs, the AAC’s ESPN contract stability, and exit fees exceeding $20 million, ultimately led the schools to stay put.
Pac-12 adds Utah State after AAC teams decline our offer
With the AAC schools opting to stay put, the Pac-12 turned its attention back to potential Mountain West additions.
The Mountain West, facing the loss of four members, sought to solidify its remaining eight members through a grant of rights or other financial agreements.
With $111 million in exit fees ($18 million each) and an additional $43 million in poaching fees expected from the Pac-12, this financial incentive could encourage members to remain.
The Pac-12’s lawsuit revealed that Mountain West notified them on September 12 about the $43 million in poaching fees stipulated in their scheduling agreement.
While most Mountain West schools, including Air Force, committed to staying, Utah State broke away and chose to join the Pac-12. The Pac-12 first publicly acknowledged Utah State’s addition in its lawsuit on Tuesday morning, followed by an official announcement later that evening.
With Utah State’s departure, the agreement among the remaining Mountain West members appears left in a quandary, as the conference would no longer meet the requirements to be considered a qualifying league with just seven members.
“We don’t want to pay any poaching fees, so let’s file a lawsuit against the MWC”
The Pac-12 aims to avoid the escalating poaching fees, now totaling $55 million, with the addition of Utah State.
The league’s legal stance is that the Mountain West coerced a vulnerable Pac-12 into signing an unfair agreement laden with these fees, which they argue are anti-competitive and violate antitrust laws.
“The Poaching Penalty burdens the Pac-12 with exorbitant and punitive fees for simply competing by inviting MWC member schools,” the complaint states.
“The MWC enforced this penalty at a time when the Pac-12 was desperate to schedule games for its two remaining members and had little leverage to refuse this blatant restriction on competition.
However, this does not render the Poaching Penalty any less illegal, and the Pac-12 seeks a court ruling to declare this provision invalid and unenforceable.”
In response, the Mountain West and Commissioner Nevarez asserted that the Pac-12 was fully aware of their agreed terms and that the provision was designed to protect the Mountain West.
“The Pac-12 has exploited our willingness to assist them by entering into a scheduling agreement with a complete understanding of their obligations,” their statement read.
“Now that they have executed their plan to recruit certain Mountain West schools, they wish to retract what they legally agreed to. There must be consequences for such actions.”
What’s next for the Mountain West Conference?
The Mountain West Conference) faces a significant transition and strategic planning following recent developments in college athletics.
Here are some key points regarding what lies ahead for the MW:
- Retention and Stability: With the departure of some member schools, retaining the remaining eight members will be crucial.
- The conference will likely focus on solidifying commitments through financial agreements, including a grant of rights, to discourage further departures.
- Expansion Talks: The Mountain West eConference may consider further expansion to strengthen its membership.
This could involve courting schools that may be looking to switch conferences or those that fit MW’s competitive profile, potentially enhancing the conference’s visibility and revenue.
- Scheduling Agreements: Establishing new scheduling agreements, particularly for football and basketball, will be essential to ensure competitive matchups and maintain fan interest.
The conference could look to negotiate partnerships with other leagues to maximize exposure.
- Media Rights Negotiations: As the MW approaches the end of its current media rights deals, securing a lucrative broadcasting agreement will be a top priority. This is vital for increasing revenue and ensuring financial sustainability for member schools.
- Legal Developments: The MW must navigate ongoing legal challenges, particularly concerning poaching fees and the Pac-12’s lawsuit.
How these legal matters unfold could impact the conference’s future strategy and relationships with other leagues.
- Focus on Competitive Success: The MW will aim to enhance the competitiveness of its programs in major sports, which could lead to greater visibility and success in postseason play, helping to elevate the conference’s reputation nationally.
- Strengthening Revenue Streams: Beyond media rights, the MW may explore alternative revenue streams, such as partnerships with sponsors, merchandise sales, and enhancing the overall fan experience at games to increase attendance and engagement.
- Collaboration with Member Schools: Open communication and collaboration with member institutions will be vital for navigating challenges ahead. The conference will likely involve athletic directors and school presidents in strategic planning to ensure alignment and shared goals.
The future of conference realignment, especially for the Pac-12 and Mountain West, is still up in the air, and changes are almost happening by the hour.
While it might feel chaotic right now, things will eventually settle down, giving fans a clearer picture of their leagues.
Let’s hope the focus stays on the games and not on court battles that only fill lawyers’ pockets at the expense of both conferences.
A merger between these two robust conferences could benefit all schools, creating more competitive matchups and opportunities.
However, given the complexities of college sports today, finding a simple solution may be challenging. Fans can stay hopeful that, amidst the uncertainty, a favorable resolution will emerge for everyone involved!