SDSU athletic director says Pac-12 will have TV deal soon; Expansion comes next

Pac-12 must add at least one more football-playing member before 2026

The 2024 Pac-12 Conference men's basketball champion trophy. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

According to San Diego State athletic director JD Wicker, the Pac-12 is getting close to securing a media deal and adding an eighth football-playing member. 

While speaking to season ticket holders at a recent fan appreciation event, Wicker said the Pac-12’s TV deal will be finalized by the end of March. After that, the rebuilt conference will focus on adding at least one more football-playing school. 

“At the end of next month, we will have the (memorandum of understanding) done for our television deal,” Wicker said. “So we will know what our TV deal is going to be, who our partners are going to be. I will say this, they’re entities you are familiar with, that you would recognize. We’re going to get great exposure, and the really good thing is we’re going to get more exposure. It’s not just going to be football and men’s basketball, but … all of our sports are going to have the opportunity for this increased exposure. It’s going to be increased revenue, which is a big thing for us.

“That’s really the next big piece. Once we know that, then we can go recruit that eighth football-playing member. … And then after that, we’ll figure out if we’re adding one, two or three more schools, and whether they’re coming in in all of their sports. They might be coming in in some of their sports.”

Left with only Oregon State and Washington State in August 2024, the Pac-12 regrouped and added Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State from the Mountain West Conference last September. West Coast Conference power Gonzaga came aboard at the beginning of October, giving the Pac-12 eight members for the 2026-27 athletics season. 

The Pac-12 must add at least one more football-playing member before 2026 to reach the NCAA’s eight-team minimum to qualify as an FBS conference. Gonzaga does not field a football team.

Football-playing schools linked to the Pac-12 include UNLV of the MWC, Memphis, Tulane and UTSA of the AAC and Texas State of the Sun Belt. The Pac-12 could also take a look at WCC men’s basketball power Saint Mary’s, which completed a regular-season sweep of Gonzaga Saturday night. 

Oregon State, Washington State and the MWC agreed to a football scheduling partnership for the 2024 season after the Pac-12 lost 10 members to the ACC, Big Ten and Big 12. The scheduling partnership included an option for 2025, which was not renewed. The Pac-12 then poached five MWC teams, including recent College Football Playoff participant Boise State. 

The Pac-12 and Boise State, Colorado State and Utah State are suing the MWC over exit fees and poaching penalties.  

The Beavers and Cougars are playing independent football schedules in 2025.

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