Editing Pac-12 Conference (section)

=== NCAA conference realignment (2021–present) ===
{{Further|2021–2026 NCAA conference realignment}}
On August 24, 2021, the Pac-12, [[Atlantic Coast Conference|ACC]], and [[Big Ten]] announced the formation of a "historic alliance" that would bring their member institutions "together on a collaborative approach surrounding the future evolution of college athletics and scheduling."<ref name="HistoricAlliance">{{cite press release |date=August 24, 2021 |title=Pac-12, ACC and Big Ten announce historic alliance |url=https://pac-12.com/news/2021/8/24/pac-12-acc-and-big-ten-announce-historic-alliance-0.aspx |publisher=Pac-12 Conference |access-date=June 28, 2022 |quote=The ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12 today announced an historic alliance that will bring 41 world-class institutions together on a collaborative approach surrounding the future evolution of college athletics and scheduling.}}</ref> The formation of this alliance between three of the [[Power Five conferences]] was in response to [[Oklahoma Sooners|Oklahoma]] and [[Texas Longhorns|Texas]] announcing [[Southeastern Conference#2024 expansion|plans]] to leave the [[Big 12]] and join the [[Southeastern Conference|SEC]]. The alliance included an inter-conference scheduling component for football and men's and women's basketball. In 2021, the Pac-12 paid $19.8 million to each of its member schools, the lowest distribution in the Power Five.<ref>{{cite news |date=July 5, 2022 |title=Pac-12 accelerates negotiations for media rights deals in wake of UCLA, USC exits |url=https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/34198300 |access-date=July 6, 2022 |work=[[ESPN]] |agency=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>

Despite the alliance, on June 30, 2022, [[UCLA]] and [[University of Southern California|USC]] announced their departure for the [[Big Ten Conference]] beginning in the 2024–25 academic year.<ref name=usc-big10>{{cite press release |title=USC to Make Historic Move to Big Ten Conference in 2024 |url=https://usctrojans.com/news/2022/6/30/usc-to-make-historic-move-to-big-ten-conference-in-2024.aspx |access-date=June 30, 2022 |publisher=[[USC Athletics]]}}</ref><ref name=ucla-big10>{{cite press release |title=UCLA to Join Big Ten Conference at Start of 2024–25 Season |url=https://uclabruins.com/news/2022/6/30/bruin-athletics-ucla-to-join-big-ten-conference-at-start-of-2024-25-season.aspx |access-date=June 30, 2022 |publisher=[[UCLA Bruins]] |date=June 30, 2022 |language=en}}</ref> As a result of losing two of the conference's tentpole programs (and the entirety of the [[Los Angeles]] television market), the conference's ongoing media rights negotiations became much more complicated. ESPN reportedly had made an offer in which the ten remaining schools would receive around $30 million per year. This was rejected by member schools, who countered with a demand for $50 million per school per year. ESPN responded by walking away from the negotiating table.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.si.com/college/2023/08/11/pac-12-espn-media-rights-negotiations-50-million-ask-per-report|title=ESPN Shut Down Pac-12 Talks After Counteroffer of $50 Million per School, per Report|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]]|date=August 11, 2023|first=Daniel|last=Chavkin|access-date=February 21, 2024}}</ref>

Reports began circulating that Commissioner Kliavkoff had been to the [[San Diego State University]] and [[Southern Methodist University|SMU]] campuses for tours. This was allegedly part of the conference's vetting process for expansion.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.si.com/college/stanford/football/pac-12-expansion-reportedly-expected-to-include-both-san-diego-state-and-smu|title=Pac-12 expansion reportedly expected to include both San Diego State and SMU|magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]] |date=June 16, 2023|first=Kevin|last=Borba|access-date=February 21, 2024}}</ref> San Diego State sent the [[Mountain West Conference]] a letter notifying it of the school's impending departure. The Pac-12, however, was adamant about securing a media rights deal before expanding. Without an incoming offer before a June 30, 2023, deadline, San Diego State had to rescind its notice of intention to leave the Mountain West.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/san-diego-state-to-remain-member-of-mountain-west-after-initially-announcing-potential-withdrawal-from-league/ |title=San Diego State to remain member of Mountain West after initially announcing potential withdrawal from league |first=Cameron |last=Salerno |work=[[CBS Sports]] |date=July 19, 2023}}</ref>

At the start of Pac-12 Media Days on July 21, 2023, Commissioner Kliavkoff was asked about the status of the media rights deal and conference expansion, deflecting most questions on the matter. Having heard enough, Colorado president Rick George left Media Days early to return to Boulder. Less than a week later on July 27, 2023, Colorado announced it would return to the Big 12 as of the 2024–25 school year.<ref name=col-big12>{{Cite press release |title=Colorado To Join Big 12 Conference In 2024–25 |publisher=[[Colorado Buffaloes]] |date=July 27, 2023 |url=https://cubuffs.com/news/2023/7/27/general-colorado-to-join-big-12-conference-in-2024-25.aspx}}</ref>

The nine remaining Pac-12 members then demanded an update on the negotiations, including numbers on expected payouts. Kliavkoff came back with a deal from the [[Apple TV+]] streaming service that paid member institutions in the low-to-mid-$20 million range, albeit with escalators for meeting subscriber quotas. On August 4, 2023, Oregon and Washington announced they would be following UCLA and USC to the Big Ten conference for the 2024 season.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/oregon-washington-join-big-ten-programs-depart-pac-12-in-2024-after-serving-as-charter-members-since-1915/amp/ |title= Oregon, Washington join Big Ten: Programs depart Pac-12 in 2024 after serving as charter members since 1915 |work=[[CBS Sports]] |date= |access-date=August 4, 2023}}</ref> Later on that same day, Arizona, Arizona State, and Utah announced that they would follow Colorado to the Big 12 Conference starting in 2024.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://big12sports.com/news/2023/8/4/big-12-conference-adds-arizona-state-arizona-and-utah.aspx|title=Big 12 Conference Adds Arizona, Arizona State and Utah|website=big12sports.com}}</ref> On September 1, 2023, California and Stanford announced their departure for the Atlantic Coast Conference starting in 2024.<ref name=calsta-acc>{{Cite web|date=2023-09-01 |title= ACC votes to add Stanford, Cal, SMU: Conference presidents approve expansion to 18 schools |url= https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/acc-votes-to-add-stanford-cal-smu-conference-presidents-approve-expansion-to-18-schools |access-date=2023-09-01 |website=CBSSports.com |language=en}}</ref>

In September 2023, [[Yahoo! Sports]] reported that the Pac-12 is "expected to operate as a two-member conference at least for [2024–25]"<ref>{{cite web |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/how-a-new-alliance-proposal-involving-washington-state-oregon-state-could-impact-college-football-playoff-120044854.html |title=How a new 'alliance' proposal involving Washington State, Oregon State could impact College Football Playoff |last=Dellenger |first=Ross |date=October 24, 2023 |website=[[Yahoo! Sports]] |access-date=November 9, 2023 }}</ref> and would be recognized under a two-year [[grace period]], until 2026, to meet conference requirements in the [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] bylaws.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/could-pac-12-survive-after-all-oregon-state-washington-state-hope-so-with-legal-move-235231232.html |title=
Could Pac-12 survive after all? Oregon State, Washington State hope so with legal move |last=Dellenger |first=Ross |date=September 8, 2023 |website=[[Yahoo! Sports]] |access-date=November 9, 2023 }}</ref>

On December 5, 2023, Oregon State and Washington State announced that had entered into a football alliance with the [[Mountain West Conference]] (MW) for the 2024 season. With the alliance, both programs will play three home games and three away games against MW opponents.<ref>{{cite web |last=Bonagura |first=Kyle |date=December 5, 2023 |title=What Oregon State and Washington State's agreement with Mountain West means moving forward |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/39020713 |access-date=December 16, 2023 |publisher=[[ESPN]]}}</ref> The [[West Coast Conference]] (WCC) has invited both schools to join as affiliate members for basketball and most other non-football sports.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-22 |title=Oregon State, Washington State invited to join Gonzaga-led WCC in basketball for next two seasons |url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/oregon-state-washington-state-invited-to-join-gonzaga-led-wcc-in-basketball-for-next-two-seasons/ |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=CBSSports.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-12-20 |title=Sources: WSU, OSU near affiliate deal with WCC |url=https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/39156187 |access-date=2023-12-29 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> Both partnerships are expected to last from the fall of 2024 to the spring of 2026. Washington State will also participate in the Mountain West for baseball,<ref>{{cite press release|title=Mountain West Adds Washington State in Baseball and Women's Swimming|url=https://themw.com/news/2024/04/16/mountain-west-adds-washington-state-in-baseball-womens-swimming/|publisher=Mountain West Conference|date=April 16, 2024|access-date=April 16, 2024}}</ref> but Oregon State, a three-time [[College World Series]] champion, will become a baseball independent.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.oregonlive.com/beavers/2024/01/oregon-state-baseball-to-play-independent-schedule-giving-beavers-chance-to-create-our-own-identity-and-do-something-special-amid-conference-realignment.html | title=Oregon State baseball to play independent schedule in 2025, giving Beavers chance to 'create our own identity and do something special' amid conference realignment | date=January 26, 2024 }}</ref>

After the ten schools departed, the conference continued using the Pac-12 name and branding for at least the 2024–25 academic year.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.si.com/college/cal/news/gould-schulz-zoom |title=Conference Will Still Be Known as Pac-12 With Two Schools |last=Curtis |first=Jack |date=February 29, 2024 |website=Cal Sports Report |publisher=[[Sports Illustrated]] |access-date=May 10, 2024 }}</ref> Oregon State and Washington State were nicknamed the "Pac-2" by media outlets, to the point that a game between the two teams during the 2023 football season was jokingly dubbed the "Pac-2 Championship Game" by fans.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-02-20 |title=How Pac-2 moves forward after leverage play as College Football Playoff updates 12-team expansion model |url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/how-pac-2-moves-forward-after-leverage-play-as-college-football-playoff-updates-12-team-expansion-model/ |access-date=2024-06-29 |website=CBSSports.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-07 |title=When realignment leaves a school behind: 10 teams and how they fared |url=https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/40095204 |access-date=2024-06-29 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Brewer |first=Jerry |date=2023-09-23 |title=College football abandoned them, but the Pac-2 refuses to go away |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/09/23/pac-2-oregon-state-washington-state/ |access-date=2024-06-28 |newspaper=Washington Post}}</ref>

====Oregon State and Washington State lawsuit====
On September 8, 2023, Oregon State and Washington State filed a lawsuit against the Pac-12 and Commissioner [[George Kliavkoff]] in [[Washington state court system#Superior Court|Washington State Superior Court]] for control of the conference and its assets. They contended that the departing schools, under the conference constitution, forfeited their right to participate in governing the conference by publicly declaring their intention to leave, and that if they retain control they might use it to dissolve the league and drain its millions of dollars in assets.<ref name="OSU WSU lawsuit">{{cite web |url=https://apnews.com/article/conference-realignment-pac12-court-order-a23404ef843d20e921956e571b4426e1 |title=
OSU, WSU ask court to prevent departing Pac-12 schools from standing in way of rebuilding conference |last=Russo |first=Ralph |date=September 8, 2023 |website=[[Associated Press]] |access-date=November 9, 2023 }}</ref> On November 14, 2023, Judge Gary Libey of the [[Whitman County, Washington]], Superior Court ruled in favor of the two schools.<ref>{{cite web |website=[[The Athletic]] |author=Nicole Auerbach and Stewart Mandel |url=https://theathletic.com/5064577/2023/11/14/oregon-state-wazzu-pac-12-board-injunction/ |title=Oregon State, Washington State granted preliminary injunction, gain sole control of Pac-12 |date=November 14, 2023 |access-date=December 16, 2023}}</ref> The [[University of Washington]] (UW) filed an emergency motion to keep the two schools from gaining full control of the conference for the 2023–24 academic year; a Washington Supreme Court commissioner granted UW's motion on November 28, 2023.<ref>{{cite web |website=The Athletic |last=Auerbach |first=Nicole |url=https://theathletic.com/5096718/2023/11/28/pac-12-control-lawsuit-washington-state-oregon-state/ |title=Washington wins motion to keep Washington State, Oregon State from sole control of Pac-12 |date=November 28, 2023 |access-date=December 16, 2023}}</ref> However, this was overturned on December 15, 2023, by the [[Washington State Supreme Court]], giving Oregon State and Washington State sole control of the Pac-12, meaning the departing schools will no longer be able to vote on conference decisions.<ref>{{cite web |website=[[Bleacher Report]] |last=Stumbaugh |first=Julia |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10101320-oregon-state-wsu-in-control-of-pac-12-after-court-denies-request-to-review-lawsuit |title=Oregon State, WSU in control of Pac-12 After Court Denies Request to Review Lawsuit |date=December 15, 2023 |access-date=December 16, 2023}}</ref>