3 reasons why Pac-12 expansion looks impossible in the recent landscape of conference realignment

The Pac-12 expansion is widely expected to be one of the upcoming events in the world of collegiate athletics over the next few years. The conference experienced an implosion last summer following the departure of most of its members, leaving just two behind.

Oregon State and Washington State have been working to ensure the survival of the Pac-12 following the exit of the other 10 schools. They've been given a two-year grace period by the NCAA to meet the membership requirement, a time frame that elapses in 2026.

While the Beavers and the Cougars are committed to expanding the conference, here are three reasons the Pac-12 expansion might not be successful.

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Three reasons why Pac-12 expansion looks impossible

#1 The hurdle of a lucrative television deal

The main reason the Pac-12 collapsed was the conference's inability to secure a lucrative media deal.

The league negotiated with television partners for several months but to no avail. It was only able to secure a less lucrative subscription-based media deal with Apple late on.

Securing a lucrative media deal is much more likely to be a lingering issue for the Pac-12 expansion plan. It doesn't appear that the major television network will be ready to cover a less competitive Pac-12 if it passes up the chance earlier, which could stop the expansion from happening.

#2 The rumored interest from the Big 12

The Big 12 added four schools from the Pac-12 when it imploded last summer. The quartet of Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah secured a move to the conference after the media deal from Apple was rejected. The conference could add more from the Pac-12.

According to college football insider Greg Swaim, the Big 12 is exploring the possibility of adding both Oregon State and Washington State in its next phase of conference realignment. Should it become a reality, it will put an end to the possibility of a Pac-12 expansion.

#3 The difficulty of a massive expansion

Following a series of realignment occurrences in the last couple of years, expansion is fast becoming a little more difficult than it used to be. Conferences are now working toward making exit more difficult in a bid to avert the consequences sudden departures can bring.

The Pac-12 expansion will need to add at least six to eight teams to meet up with the NCAA membership requirement. They will have to look for expansion candidates in the Group of Five leagues, but the conferences won’t make it easy for the Pac-12 to lure away teams.