Conference Realignment: Arizona Makes It Fourteen

After months of speculation, one domino fell last week when Colorado announced it would return to the Big 12 Conference, effective July 1, 2024. Since then, there have been constant rumors about the next movement in the conference realignment landscape.

This week, there's been rumors and speculation about what's next. After a meeting on Thursday of the Arizona Board of Regents plus a vote among the Big 12 presidents and chancellors, the Arizona Wildcats look to be the next to make a move to the Big 12. Final confirmation of their move could come at any time.

After Colorado’s announcement, other Pac-12 schools, it seems, were waiting for details on the new media rights deal that Commissioner George Kliavkoff has been negotiating for over a year. On Tuesday, he presented that tentative plan at a meeting with the conference presidents and chancellors, though no agreement was reached with the remaining Pac-12 schools. The deal is a streaming-centric deal through Apple that will pay each school approximately $20 million per year. Compare that to the new agreement negotiated by Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark with ESPN/Fox, which pays each team roughly $31 million per year.

The Pac-12’s current media rights deal expires on June 30, 2024, allowing Colorado and Arizona to move leagues on July 1.

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