Tuesday night, the Pacific-12 Conference said it again, loud and clear, announcing that it is not taking in Oklahoma or Texas or anyone else.
The Pac-12, for now, will remain the Pac-12.
Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott, who had talked with Oklahoma and Texas officials in recent days, said in a statement that is in the best interests of the member schools to remain a 12-team league.
"While we have great respect for all of the institutions that have contacted us, and certain expansion proposals were financially attractive, we have a strong conference structure and culture of equality that we are committed to preserve," Scott said.
"With new landmark TV agreements and plans to launch our innovative television networks, we are going to focus solely on these great assets, our strong heritage and the bright future in front of us."
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In recent days, conference officials said Oklahoma was ready to join to the Pac-12 — and would bring along Oklahoma State — but had pledged to Texas to wait and see what the Longhorns wanted to do before applying.
The Pac-12's talks with Texas had been more complicated because of the school's Longhorn Network deal with ESPN, among other reasons.
Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe applauded the Pac-12's decision.
"I think it's the best one for who we're ultimately responsible to (student-athletes)," he said. "I hope and think it's a positive sign for us. I think the vast majority of our institutions feel like the Big 12 is the best place for them to be in — for their student-athletes, their families, the fans and the fact that college athletics is more than just about the money. It's about the geographic connection of institutions."
Asked if the move assures the Big 12's survival, Beebe said, "I'm not going to an extreme. I think we're in a very good situation, but I don't necessarily think the Pac-12's decision alone would have preserved it. I think our institutions ultimately would have preserved it, as well."
Arizona State President Michael Crow, outgoing chairman of the Pac-12 CEO Group, said in USA TODAY on Monday that there was not sentiment within the Pac-12 to expand.
Description : Pacific-12 Conference - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Description : ... College Football Preview: Tyrone's Free Pacific-12 Conference Analysis
Description : ... College Football Preview: Tyrone's Free Pacific-12 Conference Analysis
He said the presidents and chancellors in the league were thrilled with the new setup and wanted to give it a chance to work before considering another expansion.
"We're very happy where we are," Crow said.
Scott and the Pac-12 last year almost engineered an expansion to 16 schools, a move that would have brought Texas and Oklahoma, along with Texas Tech and Oklahoma State, into the league.
"It was very close," Scott said. "It was very real."
But Texas politics heated up, with a lot of people in the state horrified that Texas and longtime rival Texas A&M would be splitting up conference allegiances.
That deal fell apart, but the then-Pac-10 did expand, adding Colorado from the Big 12 and Utah from the Mountain West, splitting into two divisions and beginning a Pac-12 championship game, which will debut in December on the home field of the division winner with the best record.
Earlier this year, the Pac-12 wowed TV and sports industry executives with a $3 billion, 12-year media rights deal with ESPN and Fox — the largest media rights deal of any of the major conferences.
In addition, the Pac-12 TV network, in which the league's 12 schools are 100% stakeholders, has been set in motion and will debut next fall.
Embattled Big 12 commisioner John Beebe told USA TODAY: "I applaud their decision. I think it's the best one for who we're ultimately responsible to (student-athletes). … I hope and think it's a positive sign for us. I think the vast majority of our institutions feel like the Big 12 is the best place for them to be in -- for their student-athletes, their families, the fans and the fact that college athletics is more than just about the money. It's about the geographic connection of institutions."
Still, the news the Pac-12 would not expand was so surprising it caught some involved in negotiations off guard. When Oklahoma athletics director Joe Castiglione received a text message from a news reporter asking about the Pac-12 announcement, he replied, "Announcement?"
Source : Pacific-12 decides not to expand
