Pac-12's NCAA Tournament success means big bucks for Arizona, conference's other teams

Thanks to the success of their Pac-12 counterparts, Arizona is in line to pick up a school-record NCAA Tournament payment of at least $2.7 million this year despite sanctioning itself out of the event.

If the school gets to keep the money, that is.

The NCAA has confirmed it will pay conferences $337,141 during each of the next six years for each tournament game its teams plays this season. Because the Pac-12 has put four teams in the Sweet 16 so far, that means the conference is in line to distribute a grand total of $32.4 million equally to its teams over the next six years.

But while the Pac-12 confirmed this week that Arizona will receive its full 2020-21 shares, the NCAA could wind up asking the school to return some or all of it depending on what the Independent Accountability Resolution Process decides.

UA’s infractions case, which contains four Level I (most serious) allegations specifically against its men’s basketball program, was accepted by the IARP in December. UA declined to comment this week on how tournament revenue might be impacted and there isn’t NCAA legislation that specifically addresses a school’s self-imposed absence from the NCAA Tournament.

But typically, financial penalties for NCAA infractions cases can involve clawed-back revenue from seasons in which players who competed were later found to be ineligible — UA also faces the possible loss of 2017 and 2018 tournament revenue for that reason — and/or revenue losses from seasons in which the program is sanctioned.

A big key is whether the IARP accepts the school’s self-sanctioning as part of its ultimate decision.

“If the IARP imposes a postseason ban on UA but gives UA credit toward that ban for the 2020-21 season, then the IARP will have ‘adopted and imposed’ its self-imposed postseason ban,” said Stu Brown, an attorney who represents schools in NCAA infractions cases. “In that case, the language of the relevant bylaws would allow a tournament-related financial penalty related to the 2020-21 season.

“However, whether the IARP would impose a financial penalty in conjunction (with the ’20-’21 ban) would likely depend on the extent of any violations found and, if violations are found, what other financial penalties are imposed.”

So, essentially, it’s all a big maybe.

But at least the revenue stream itself is clear. Here’s how the math works:

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So far this season, the Pac-12 has earned 10 “units” from games played so far: UCLA played in three counting a First Four game against Michigan State, while USC, Colorado and Oregon State each played in two and Oregon in one. The Ducks also received another unit because VCU’s COVID issues gave Oregon a no-contest advance to the second round.

This weekend, the Pac-12 will receive another four units from its four Sweet 16 appearances to total 15 — plus at least a 16th unit from an Elite Eight appearance by either USC or Oregon, who face each other in the Sweet 16.

A total of 16 units multiplied by $337,141 per unit is $5.39 million per year that the NCAA will be distributing to the Pac-12 for six years, or a total of $32.4 million.

The per-year figure is in addition to what the NCAA pays conferences for units earned over the five other most recent years.

Since the Pac-12 distributes the shares equally, 16 units this year would translate to a total of $2.7 million per team or $449,521 per team, per year, for 2020-21 alone.

According to the San Jose Mercury News, the Pac-12’s 16 units already surpasses the 12-team-era record of 14 units set in 2014 and 2017 — and that was with lower per-unit payouts, which typically increase a few percent every season.

A win by either UCLA or Oregon State — or an advance into the Final Four by either USC or Oregon — would tie the conference’s all-time record of 17 units.

That record, perhaps fittingly, was set in 2001 ….. when four teams reached the Sweet 16 and Arizona carried the Pac-10 banner all the way into the NCAA championship game.

Now, with the Wildcats self-sidelined, the Pac-12 is returning the favor.

Rim shots

• Arizona has offered a scholarship to 7-foot center Mustapha (Momo) Cisse of Senegal, who moved to Arizona in January and is now playing for Phoenix Hillcrest Prep. According to 247Sports.com, Cisse has also received offers from ASU, Georgia and UMass.
• After taking two weeks off, the returning UA players have begun offseason work. None of them have participated in the Wildcats’ spring program before, since there was no program last spring and only transferring senior Ira Lee remained from 2019.