In his first public comments since USC and UCLA announced they were leaving for the Big Ten, Arizona athletic director Dave Heeke expressed confidence in the future of the Pac-12.
He also attempted to allay any concerns about where the UA might fit in the every-shifting landscape of college athletics.
“We are strong. We’re solid. This institution will be in the right place,” Heeke told KGUN-9’s Pat Parris.
“I’m also very confident in the Pac-12 with its current membership of 10 now. Again, we still have two years before those two other institutions leave. But we’ve gotta be planning and orchestrating and be ready to pivot and do the right things.
“I’m very confident in how the Pac-12 looks ... going forward. We’re an anchor in the West. We’re one of the greatest conferences that there’s ever been. We have so much tradition and history here, (including being) connected to the Rose Bowl. There’s a lot of value in that, and we’re proud as Arizona to be part of that.”
News broke on June 30 that USC and UCLA would be leaving the Pac-12, seeking the increased revenue and financial stability offered by the Big Ten. The Big Ten announced new media agreements Thursday with Fox, CBS and NBC totaling between $7 billion and $8 billion over seven years.
The stunning departures of the Trojans and Bruins came a year after Texas and Oklahoma announced they would be leaving the Big 12 for the SEC. The latest moves have fueled rampant speculation about the future of the Pac-12 — including the league ceasing to exist if other schools migrate to the Big Ten.
Other possibilities for the Pac-12 including holding serve with the 10 remaining teams; expansion; or merging with another conference such as the Big 12 or ACC.
