Why is the Pac-12 breaking up? Will 2024 be their Power Five swansong?

A question that has been circulating in college football is: why is the Pac-12 breaking up? There are a few reasons, but let's break down how we got to this point that the question needs to be asked.

In 2022, the UCLA Bruins and the USC Trojans announced that they were switching to the Big Ten. In July 2023, the Colorado Buffaloes announced that they are rejoining the Big 12. On Friday, arguably the biggest day in Pac-12 history, we saw a lot more movement.

First, the Oregon Ducks and the Washington Huskies announced that they were also joining the Big Ten. Later that night, the Arizona Wildcats, Arizona State Sun Devils and Utah Utes announced they will join the Big 12.

Now that we have a bit of a timeline, the question is why is the Pac-12 breaking up, with many teams leaving?

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Analyzing reasons for Pac-12 break-up

This question does not really have a singular reason, as each program is acting in its own best interest. However, one thing has been consistently cited as a reason: instability.

Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff has had issues negotiating and finalizing a media rights deal, with the current one expires on July 1, 2024. That's also the day all eight programs listed above will officially leave the Pac-12.

That begs the question: why is the Pac-12 breaking up instead of trying to continue growing the Power Five conference? That has to do with the future of the Pac-12, which is just is not bright.

They're not in the same position as the Big 12, Big Ten or Southeastern Conference in terms of having a media deal in place. With the current landscape of media rights, there isn't the same appetite for media companies to spend billions of dollars on television rights.

That's not excusing Kliavkoff or the Pac-12 of fault, but look at the business model of ESPN and other streaming platforms. They're all in the red, so it's easier to find a home with conferences that have deals.

If eight of the Pac-12 teams leave in over a year, that's a clear indication of mismanagement at the top. Kliavkofff has had a bad hand dealt, but things continue to get worse, and the value for the Conference of Champions continues to decrease every time a report comes out.

Why is the Pac-12 breaking up? It's an interesting question with many answers as 2023 could be their swansong as a Power Five conference.