Sources: Pac-12 rebuilding conference, targeting Boise State, San Diego State, Fresno State, Colorado State

The Pac-12 is mobilizing its long-discussed plan to rebuild the league with additions from the Mountain West, sources tell Yahoo Sports.

The two-team conference of Washington State and Oregon State is targeting Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado State and Fresno State as new additions in a reimagined Pac-12. Those schools are expected to soon apply or have already applied for membership into the conference — the first step in the process to complete the deal. They would join the league starting with the 2026 school year.

Commissioner Teresa Gould and officials from the Pac-12 have spent the last year examining possible options for their future after 10 schools left the league for the Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC. They have long held the belief that they can preserve the Pac-12 brand by reconstructing the conference through expansion, using its 108-year-old tradition, history and assets to attract new members.

This is expected to be the first phase in a multi-phase expansion endeavor to reach, at the very least, eight schools — the NCAA’s minimum required to qualify as an FBS conference. If the aforementioned four join, the league needs two more to complete the process. It must reach the minimum by July of 2026, the end of the NCAA’s two-year grace period.

The Pac-12’s board must approve any membership applications and are expected to soon do so. The deal could be finalized by the end of the week.

The expansion is not inexpensive. Each Mountain West school is contractually bound to owe both a $17 million exit fee as well as an additional $10-12 million penalty fee as part of a scheduling agreement the conference struck with the Mountain West.

After months of examining future options, league officials determined to reimagine the conference with an expansion approach. In negotiations with potential new members,…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/sources-pac-12-rebuilding-conference-targeting-boise-state-san-diego-state-fresno-state-colorado-state-033254424.html

Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-09-12 03:32:54

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