(Photo Courtesy of John McGillen/Pac-12)
Pac-12 Media Day: Conference prioritizing, but not bending over backwards for expansion
This post was updated July 27 at 3:43 p.m.
George Kliavkoff made sure he was very precise with his words when asked about his thoughts on potential expansion Tuesday.
The newly-hired commissioner of the Pac-12 initially said in his opening statement he didn't think expanding his conference was necessary to its health moving forward. When confronted about the indecisive stance later in his press conference at Pac-12 Football Media Day, he clarified and told reporters that expansion is certainly a possibility in the near future.
"I did not say that expansion is not a priority – I said we didn't think it was necessary in order to continue to be strong and strive as a conference," Kliavkoff said. "It is a priority to consider all of the alternatives that have been presented to us. And we will do that in a very timely manner."
The Pac-12 playing hard to get hasn't stopped it from drawing interest from schools looking to make moves themselves – whether TCU or Texas Tech were among those universities, Kliavkoff wouldn't say. With calls coming in and the landscape continuing to shift following Texas and Oklahoma's decision to join the SEC, Kliavkoff said the conference is now in a great position with so many options on the table.
"The fallout from Texas and Oklahoma gives us an opportunity to once again consider expansion," Kliavkoff said. "We had already had significant inbound interest from many schools. We will work with our presidents and chancellors to evaluate these opportunities."
The Longhorns and Sooners announcing their intentions to leave the Big 12 has sent shockwaves through college sports, most notably with the remainder of the Big 12 itself. Kansas, Oklahoma State and others could be left without a home, or may need to poach teams from other conferences in order to keep their own afloat.
Having two powerhouses and major programs leave a conference is what put those schools in that tough position, one that the Pac-12 could find itself in as well if UCLA, USC, Washington or others somehow abandon ship for the Big Ten.
Oregon Athletic Director Rob Mullens was asked about how the Pac-12 is planning on handling the threat of its keystone programs leaving, and he said all dozen teams are united in whatever comes next.
"This league is a great league," Mullens said. "It's got a rich tradition for many, many years. There's strong collaboration. We're all committed to working together to strengthen the league, again, be prepared as the industry evolves."
UCLA coach Chip Kelly added his two cents to the conversation later in the day, and while he said no one at the Pac-12 level has looped him so far, he tried to set the stage for the dilemma it could pose.
"I think a lot of things this day and age, tradition is butting up against money," Kelly said. "Is expansion equal to dilution? I don't know. I think it's something you have to look back on after you get a couple years into it to say was this a good maneuver or bad maneuver."
The conference hierarchy is certainly evolving, and probably faster than ever before. The Pac-12, according to Kliavkoff, is content with its place in it all for the time being.
Moving forward, however, change could be in the West Coast air as well.
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