Oregon Ducks May Decide To Stay As Pac-12 Meets to Sign Grant Of Rights, Reports.
By 750 The Game Staff
Late Thursday night, the fate of the Pac-12 Conference looked bleak.
The University of Arizona was reportedly set on joining the Big 12, leaving the Pac with eight remaining teams, and all eyes on the University of Oregon, who reportedly were on the verge of joining the Big Ten Conference along with Washington.
Friday morning, however, tides began to turn. The Pac-12 was set to have a scheduled meeting to sign its grant of rights and keep the remaining schools together. Oregon and Washington were expected to participate with the remaining schools, per our own John Canzano.
Pac-12 CEO Group meeting this morning with intent to sign grant of rights, source confirms.
All nine schools expected to participate. Eyes on Oregon/Washington and Arizona/ASU.
— John Canzano (@johncanzanobft) August 4, 2023
Pac-12 CEO Group meeting is underway now. All nine of the remaining universities have confirmed their president/chancellors are in the meeting.
They are meeting with the intent to sign the Grant of Rights.
— John Canzano (@johncanzanobft) August 4, 2023
Additional reports began to surface early Friday morning that the optimism in the Pac-12 was real, and the previously reported interest in the Big Ten inviting Oregon and Washington had started to wane.
BREAKING: Oregon and Washington’s exit from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten appears to have lost momentum overnight, multiple sources tell @TheAthletic: https://t.co/e2MZM1R2Qa
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) August 4, 2023
The Pac-12 CEO group was set to meet at 7:00 a.m. Friday morning, with Oregon serving as the leader to keep the conference together.
Sources: With the Pac-12 president meeting at the top of the hour, there’s optimism about the league’s grant of rights being signed. The key linchpin is Oregon. Heading into the meeting, the school is trending toward not going to the Big Ten.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 4, 2023
Oregon are expected to stay in the Pac-12, barring an eleventh hour change. That could have the power to keep the league together, as Arizona has not finalized its deal with the Big 12.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 4, 2023
The Pac 12 has a meeting in the next hour to discuss its media deal and the signing of a grant of rights, as @RossDellenger and others have reported.
As bleak as things looked for the league late Thursday, numerous sources express optimism that the Pac 12 can halt most or even…
— Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) August 4, 2023
Multiples sources tell @DanWetzel and me that the tides are turning: The Pac-12 meeting this morning to sign a Grant of Rights, which @YahooSports reported last night, remains on schedule & expectation is all presidents will show.https://t.co/hW0RYiddZs https://t.co/F1BTl2R6c5
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) August 4, 2023
The Pac-12’s survival is contingent on keeping intact at least 8 of the current 9 members.
A loss of 2 more schools – either Arizona/ASU to Big 12 OR Oregon/Washington to Big Ten – is seen as a likely recipe for collapse. As P12 leaders enter their meeting, neither has happened.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) August 4, 2023
What initially seemed a lost cause, the Pac-12 Conference may, in the end, keep its eight remaining schools, thanks to Oregon’s decision to stay. Signing the new media rights deal and then expansion will be on the agenda next.
It remains to be seen if the Arizona Board of Regents will allow the University of Arizona to go to the Big 12 alone with Arizona State, or if the two schools have to stay together in the Pac-12 Conference.
Don’t miss John Canzano deliver the Bald Faced Truth 3-6 p.m. for the latest news and reaction to the Pac-12 Conference reportedly staying together as Oregon decides not to leave for the Big Ten.
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