Big Ten college presidents voted Thursday night to accept applications from USC and UCLA to join the conference, representing A seismic shift on the team athletics scene. The Trojans and Bruins will leave the Pac-12 for the new league in 2024 as the Big Ten expands from coast to coast in a move that rivals the SEC in the Oklahoma and Texas poaching of last year’s Big 12.
The next step comes as the Pac-12’s media rights agreement expires in 2024, and the Big Ten is negotiating a new media rights deal that could exceed $1 billion annually. As for the Pac-12, the shift puts the league and its commissioner, George Klyavkov, in a precarious position. Thursday marks the first anniversary of Klyavkov’s assumption of office.
USC and UCLA are two of the most valuable brands of Pac-12, both in terms of success and visibility. Their entry into the Big Ten will create a second Super Conference along with the expanded SEC. Both teams will stand in 16 teams after USC and UCLA move to the Big Ten with Texas and Oklahoma entering the SEC, which is set to occur in 2025.
As the events of the recent reorganization saga begin, CBS Sports will continue to cover this evolving story with updates live below.
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