UCLA is moving to the Big Ten, but the Bruins have one more Pac-12 headache to deal with, and it’s also something the Pac-12 itself will have to deal with.
The Holiday Bowl is reportedly suing UCLA and the Pac-12 for the cancellation of the 2021 Holiday Bowl at Petco Park in San Diego. That was the game in which UCLA came to San Diego but then pulled out of the game at the last minute due to COVID-19 roster concerns. The Holiday Bowl is seeking $3 million in damages for lost revenue.
Notably, the Holiday Bowl has not yet paid Oregon for its appearance as the Pac-12 representative in the 2022 Holiday Bowl game in San Diego versus North Carolina. That has been a point of contention between the Pac-12 and the Holiday Bowl. This move by the Holiday Bowl deepens the divide between the bowl and the Pac-12.
All of this is happening while the Pac-12 scrambles to find a media rights deal which will provide enough revenue for its members to stay and not bolt for other conferences.
It is never dull in the Pac-12, but beyond that point, the Pac-12 continues to face obstacles which stand in the way of long-term stability. One wonders what San Diego State, for instance, thinks about this Holiday Bowl story.
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