College football expansion: Colorado reacts to new Big 12 rumors
The offseason rumor mill around college football conference expansion and realignment has gone into overdrive once again, and this time it's Colorado that is the subject of new speculation that the school could potentially make a move out of the Pac-12 and return to the Big 12 in the near future, according to a report.
Now for the second time this offseason, Colorado athletic director Rick George is responding to those rumors, confirming again that the school is committed to its current conference, but did appear to leave some wiggle room, too.
"We're members of the Pac-12. We're proud members of the Pac-12. And we've got to see where our media rights deal lands and where our conference goes," George said in remarks to Colorado site BuffZone.
"In a perfect world, we'd love to be in the Pac-12, but we also have to do what's right for Colorado at the end of the day. We'll evaluate things as we move forward."
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The remarks come as the Pac-12 is still on the lookout for a new primary media partner for its games going forward, with some insiders saying a deal will be in place by early summer while others contend that the conference is still having trouble locating a broadcaster interested in providing the league what it wants.
Officials from both Arizona schools and Colorado chancellor Phil DiStefano have made similar statements expressing loyalty to the Pac-12 and putting on a unified front in public while the conference pursues a new media contract, but also with similar apparent caveats: it sounds as though many schools are keeping their options open and could be prepared to entertain offers from outside the league if the contract is not up to their standard.
Oregon and Washington have already spoken informally with officials from the Big Ten, according to insiders, and the Big 12 hasn't been shy about its interest in expanding westward, especially in Colorado, the Arizona schools, and potentially Utah.
More: Big 12 has new team on radar amid expansion rumors
After two bombshell realignment moves in recent memory — first by Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC, and then another shocker when USC and UCLA revealed plans to join the Big Ten, with all four moving in 2024 — it's clear the college football expansion process is far from finished, but who moves where next is still an open question.
(BuffZone)
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