George Kliavkoff Officially Out as Pac-12 Commissioner

This was inevitable and the conference made it official Friday, but no interim commissioner named yet

The Pac-12 made a short and sweet announcement on Friday, telling us what was expected.

The Pac-12 Board of Directors announced today that the Conference and George Kliavkoff have mutually agreed to part ways, effective February 29, 2024. More details about new leadership of the Pac-12 will be announced next week.

That's it.  

We knew it was coming, and Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News alerted us a few days ago that an announcement was in the works.

So Kliavkoff will be out as of February 29, which leaves the obvious question: Who will serve as interim Pac-12 commissioner for the remainder of the 2023-24 school year.  There are still Pac-12 basketball games to be played and a number of other spring sports to be played under the Pac-12 flag.

The Pac-12 ends in its current state at the end of the 2023-24 school year, with USC, UCLA, Washington and Oregon headed to the Big Ten next season, Cal and Stanford becoming members of the ACC in the fall of 2024, and Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah off to the Big 12 next season.

Oregon State and Washington State remain in what is being called the Pac-2, and it is unclear whether there will be a commissioner for whatever form the Pac-12 (Pac-2?) takes next season.

Kliavkoff received much of the blame for the destruction of the Pac-12. 

He has been the Pac-12 commissioner for less than three years.  Kliavkoff began his term as commissioner on July 1, 2021 after signing a five-year contract with the Pac-12. The financial agreement of his departure from the conference was not disclosed. 

The most logical choice as interim Pac-12 commissioner would be former Cal administrator Teresa Gould, who is currently the Pac-12’s deputy commissioner.

Gould got her masters degree at Cal, and she served in the Cal athletics department from 2001 to 2014 in a number of positions, including deputy athletics director.

Cover photo of George Kliavkoff is by Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports

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