Another Pac-12 team in fray after Arizona schools get linked to Big 12 poaching; will this cause a huge blowout to the Pac-12 media deal?

The Big 12 poaching of the Pac-12 schools continues as both Arizona and Arizona State have been linked to the conference's expansion. This would be another massive blow to a potential Pac-12 media rights deal, as they are still trying to finalize the terms there.

The conference has already lost the UCLA Bruins and USC Trojans to the Big Ten, and now the Colorado Buffaloes are joining the Big 12 in 2024. With the Big 12 poaching programs from all over, specifically the Pac-12, their expansion looks promising.

College football insider Greg Swaim tweeted that these teams are packing their bags and that a fourth team could be on its way out.

"So we're hearing tonight from two very good media sources that both Arizona and Arizona State are heading to the #Big12, so basically the #Pac12 is on life support, but who's the fourth team? #Beavers #UDub #BearDown #SunDevils

But what does this mean for the Pac-12 as they attempt to figure out some stability in the conference? Let's dive deeper into how these moves will affect the 'Conference of Champions.'

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Does this Big 12 poaching mean the end of the Pac-12 as we know it?

The Big 12 poaching schools from the Pac-12 does not provide a positive outlook on the future of the conference. The Pac-12 has a little more than 11 months until their current TV deal with Fox and ESPN ends, and no indication of announcing a new deal.

Losing arguably five of their biggest programs within a 12-month window is not ideal, as any new media rights deal will not be lucrative enough with fewer teams competing in the conference.

Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff has a lot of ongoing issues to deal with, but with the Big 12 poaching that is going on, they need to figure out what the conference will look like in the near future.

Clearly, if the Pac-12 remains a Power Five conference, they are in fifth place, and it is not even close. The next step may be to find a lesser conference and merge them into the Pac-12 to create a full conference.

That is not ideal, as there is no indication that the Arizona State Sun Devils or the Arizona Wildcats are the last teams to sign for the Big 12.

However, this feels like a massive blow, and Kliavkoff and the remaining universities need to figure out how to handle this situation. The livelihood of the Pac-12 depends on how this situation plays out.

What television or media rights provider will offer substantial money to a dying conference?