The commissioners of the Big 12 and Pac-12 conferences are reportedly set to meet Tuesday to discuss an alliance between the two leagues that could include a merger, as the college sports landscape continues to shift after the University of Texas and University of Oklahoma left the Big 12 for the SEC.
The Athletic first reported on the meeting between Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby and Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff on Tuesday, noting a merger or scheduling alliance could be options. Texas and Oklahoma—two of the six most valuable college football programs, according to Forbes valuations—have accepted bids to join the SEC in 2025.
Once the two universities join, the SEC will be the biggest and by far most valuable conference in college sports, counting nine of college football’s 12 most valuable teams among its members. The Big 12 will be left without any members among college football’s 25 most valuable programs, while the Pac-12’s most valuable program will be Oregon’s, ranked 14th nationally.
Discussions between Texas, Oklahoma and the SEC were conducted in secret before the Houston Chronicle revealed the discussions on July 21, catching the Big 12 and its member universities off guard.
“We are disappointed these discussions went as far as they did without notice to, or inclusion of, other Big 12 members,” Bowlsby said last week after Texas and Oklahoma accepted the SEC’s bids.
