Big 12 expansion with Pac-12 teams? Arizona State, Arizona president refute speculation
Arizona State University president Michael Crow and University of Arizona president Robert Robbins recently came out with strong statements against Pac-12 schools joining the Big 12 Conference as the ongoing media rights saga with the conference continues to feed speculation that the Arizona schools, and other Pac-12 schools, could bolt for the Big 12.
Crow told The State Press: "There have been no discussions with the Big 12 conference on moving. I mean, there's been discussions between everyone everywhere on all things related to where our conference is going and where stuff's going to end up and what's happening. We are committed to the Pac-12."
Robbins told the San Jose Mercury News: "We’re all committed and I’m pretty confident George (Kliavkoff, Pac-12 commissioner) will bring us a deal that we’re happy with and that preserves the Pac-12 to make the next step together — or with 12 (schools) if we add anybody.”
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Speculation and rumors have surrounded the Pac-12 for months as the conference has struggled to get a new media rights deal according to its liking.
The Big 12 hasn't been shy in talk of potentially adding some schools from the Pac-12 in expansion, with Crow's Arizona State and Robbins' Arizona universities among the schools most often mentioned as expansion candidates for the Big 12.
Expansion chatter has also included speculation about possible schools joining the Pac-12, such as San Diego State, SMU or Fresno State.
More:Big 12 expansion speculation: Arizona, Colorado 'odds-on candidates' to leave Pac-12 first
But Crow and Robbins' comments might have quieted some of the talk, at least for now, expressing hope in the conference's potential media rights deal.
"We're close to knowing where we're going to be, and I think we're close to a deal," Crow told The State Press. "I think that the Pac-12 media rights became more complicated with the departure of USC and UCLA. The media rights became more complicated also, as things always do because markets go like this. They're up and down, up and down. But, we have fabulous sports teams and the remaining teams, we're going to get a good offer. We're in the final stages of that process."
Robbins told The San Jose Mercury News: “It’s heavily dependent on (commissioner George Kliavkoff) and his team negotiating a good media deal for us to stay competitive. I don’t think anybody wants to leave. Why would you move for a couple million dollars a year more?”
More:Pac-12 expansion, realignment: Media rights speculation includes prediction for conference
Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Big 12 expansion report with Pac-12 refuted by Arizona, ASU presidents
