Editing Pac-12 Conference (section)

==History==

===Pacific Coast Conference===
{{Main|Pacific Coast Conference}}
The roots of the Pac-12 Conference go back to December 2, 1915, when the [[Pacific Coast Conference]] (PCC) was founded at the [[Imperial Hotel (Portland, Oregon)|Imperial Hotel]] in [[Portland, Oregon]], during the annual meeting of the [[Northwest Conference (1908–1925)|Northwest Conference]] schools.<ref name="DSM1915">{{cite news |date=December 4, 1915 |title=Angell Elected Northwest Head — Agreement With Pacific Coast |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-star-mirror-agreement-between/161938681/ |work=[[The Daily Star-Mirror]] |publication-place=[[Moscow, Idaho]] |volume=5 |number=57 |page=1 |quote=The Pacific Coast Intercollegiate conference, formed during the annual meeting of the Pacific Northwest Intercollegiate conference, December 2, 1915, in view of the fact that three of its four members are also members of the Northwest conference, makes the following formal statement:}}</ref><ref name= very-secret>"[https://www.newspapers.com/image/78375039/ Four Colleges Form Coast Conference at Very Secret Session]". ''Oregon Daily Journal'' (Portland, Oregon). December 3, 1915.</ref> Charter members were the University of California (now University of California, Berkeley), University of Washington, University of Oregon, and Oregon Agricultural College (now Oregon State University).<ref name= very-secret/> An official of Stanford University also attended the meeting but declined to join right away because, unlike the other schools, it was not going to sponsor a football team in the coming year and it was not willing to prohibit freshmen from competing in sports.<ref name= very-secret/> The PCC began play in 1916.

One year later, Washington State College (now Washington State University) joined the league, followed by Stanford University in 1918.

In 1922, the PCC expanded to eight teams with the admission of [[USC Trojans|USC]] and [[Idaho Vandals|Idaho]]. [[Montana Grizzlies and Lady Griz|Montana]] joined the Conference in 1924, and in 1928, the PCC grew to 10 members with the addition of [[UCLA]].

For many years, the conference split into two divisions for basketball and baseball—a Southern Division comprising the four California schools and a Northern Division comprising the six schools in the [[Pacific Northwest]].

In [[1950 college football season|1950]], Montana departed to join the [[Mountain States Conference]]. The PCC continued as a nine-team league through June 1959.

===AAWU (Big Five and Big Six)===
Following "pay-for-play" [[Pacific Coast Conference#Before the crisis|scandals]] at California, USC, UCLA, and Washington, the PCC disbanded in June 1959. Ten months earlier in August 1958, these four schools agreed to form a new conference that would take effect the following summer.<ref name=bflifmda58>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=C55WAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DOcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4355%2C3110200 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |agency=Associated Press |title=Big Four loop is formed by UW, Cal, UCLA, USC |date=August 24, 1958 |page=1, sports }}</ref><ref name=bfbfsjng>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=FSBWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=7OIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7035%2C2922970 |newspaper=Eugene Register-Guard |agency=Associated Press |title='Big Four' now 'Big Five'; Stanford joins new group |date=July 17, 1959 |page=3B }}</ref> When the four schools and Stanford began discussions for a new conference in 1959, retired admiral [[Tom Hamilton (American football)|Thomas J. Hamilton]] interceded and suggested the schools consider creating a national "power conference" (Hamilton had been a key player, head coach, and athletic director at [[United States Naval Academy|Navy]], and was the current athletic director at [[University of Pittsburgh|Pittsburgh]]). Nicknamed the "[[Superconference#The proposed "Airplane Conference" (1959)|Airplane Conference]]",<ref name=sifbjasct>{{cite news |url=https://www.si.com/vault/1959/02/02/604202/footballs-jet-age-secret |magazine=Sports Illustrated |last=Maule |first=Tex |author-link=Tex Maule |title=Football's jet-age secret |date=February 2, 1959 |access-date=November 5, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141105215408/http://www.si.com/vault/1959/02/02/604202/footballs-jet-age-secret |archive-date=November 5, 2014 }}</ref><ref name=pecngcalltk>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=e65aAAAAIBAJ&sjid=408DAAAAIBAJ&pg=5141%2C1205591 |newspaper=Prescott Evening Courier |agency=Associated Press |title=National grid conference is still all talk |date=January 29, 1959 |page=11 }}</ref><ref name=ndiniapcf>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=mvstAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_H4FAAAAIBAJ&pg=3129%2C2291251 |newspaper=Schenectady Gazette |agency=Associated Press |title=Notre Dame interested in Airplane Conference |date=October 15, 2014 |page=24 }}</ref> the five former PCC schools would have played with other major academically oriented schools, including [[United States Military Academy|Army]], [[United States Naval Academy|Navy]], [[United States Air Force Academy|Air Force]], [[University of Notre Dame|Notre Dame]], [[University of Pittsburgh|Pitt]], [[Pennsylvania State University|Penn State]], and [[Syracuse University|Syracuse]].<ref name=sifbjasct/><ref name=hclbdstr>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xvpVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=z-IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6274%2C1417521 |newspaper=Eugene Register-Guard |last=Strite |first=Dick |title=Highclimber |date=January 10, 1962 |page=2B }}</ref> The effort fell through when a [[United States Department of Defense|Pentagon]] official vetoed the idea and the service academies backed out.<ref>Dunnavant, Keith. "The 50 Year Seduction." Thomas Dunne Books: New York, 2004</ref>

On July 1, 1959, the new '''Athletic Association of Western Universities''' was launched, with California, UCLA, USC, and Washington as the four charter members.<ref name=haqapyt/> Stanford joined during the first month.<ref name=bfbfsjng/><ref name=saddwlg>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OeQeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ySUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7072%2C3458631 |newspaper=Milwaukee Journal |agency=Associated Press |title=Stanford added to Western League |date=July 17, 1959 |page=14 |access-date=November 17, 2015 |archive-date=November 19, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119100043/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=OeQeAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ySUEAAAAIBAJ&pg=7072%2C3458631 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Hamilton left Pittsburgh to become the first commissioner of the AAWU,<ref name=haqapyt>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=UYtIAAAAIBAJ&sjid=AXcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7176%2C5253075 |newspaper=St. Petersburg Times |agency=Associated Press |title=Hamilton quits at Pitt for Western loop job |date=June 30, 1959 |page=2C}}</ref><ref name=jwwthdo>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2fQuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=L9sFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1711%2C334249 |newspaper=Beaver Valley Times |agency=UPI |title=Just what will Tom Hamilton do? |date=July 2, 1959 |page=11 }}</ref> and remained for twelve years.<ref name=hgtpip8>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=c-VVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5-ADAAAAIBAJ&pg=5555%2C2763888 |newspaper=Eugene Register-Guard |agency=Associated Press |title=Hallock gets top position in Pacific-8 |date=January 15, 1971 |page=3B}}</ref> The conference also was popularly known as the '''Big Five''' from 1960 to 1962.<ref name="NCAABBREC">NCAA Men's Basketball Records – Division I conference alignment history (PDF copy available at NCAA.org)</ref> When [[Washington State University|Washington State]] joined in 1962,<ref name=catathloop>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=czRYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=S_cDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5219%2C3522374
|newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |agency=Associated Press |title=Cougars admitted to athletic loop |date=June 14, 1962 |page=39}}</ref> the conference became informally known as the '''Big Six'''.<ref name="NCAABBREC"/><ref name=bssbss>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rv1VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=--IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5684%2C145075 |newspaper=Eugene Register-Guard |agency=Associated Press |title=The Big Six still the Big Six |date=June 2, 1964 |page=3B }}</ref> The new league inherited the PCC's berth in the [[Rose Bowl Game|Rose Bowl]]; since 1947, the PCC champion had received an automatic bid to the bowl.

===Pacific-8===
[[University of Oregon|Oregon]] and [[Oregon State University|Oregon State]] joined in the summer of 1964.<ref name=oreosu64>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=RJgRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-uIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6193%2C86136 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |last=Uhrhammer |first=Jerry |title=Oregon, OSU join AAWU |date=April 1, 1964 |page=1D}}</ref><ref name=opbbxmv>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=KFlYAAAAIBAJ&sjid=a_cDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4225%2C119988 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |agency=Associated Press |title=Officials pleased by Big Six move |date=April 1, 1964 |page=17 }}</ref><ref name=binfol>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=yYBfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZTAMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5648%2C76738 |work=Lewiston Morning Tribune |agency=Associated Press |title=PCC all but revised as Oregon, Oregon State back in fold |date=April 1, 1964 |page=10 }}</ref> With their addition, the conference was known unofficially as the '''Pacific Athletic''' {{nowrap|'''Conference''',<ref name=notaawu>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4PtVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BuMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2222%2C6462076 |newspaper=Eugene Register-Guard |title=Not AAWU |date=October 31, 1964 |page=4A }}</ref><ref name=pacstg64019>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=-uBXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=GekDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4148%2C1256391 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |title=Pacific Athletic Conference |date=October 19, 1964 |page=9 }}</ref><ref name=wufresrbq>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=YqtVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=COEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6310%2C4049363 |newspaper=Eugene Register-Guard |agency=Associated Press |title=Western universities finally resolve Rose Bowl question |date=June 25, 1965 |page=1C }}</ref><ref name=pacstds>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=xf9VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=HuMDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3144%2C4235796 |work=Eugene Register-Guard |title=PAC standings |date=November 21, 1965 |page=1B}}</ref><ref name=lookbrs>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3jdWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=zegDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7231%2C900373 |newspaper=Spokesman-Review |title=SC, UCLA roll on...but look at Bears |date=October 17, 1966 |page=11 }}</ref>}} and then the '''Pacific-8'''. In 1968, the AAWU formally renamed itself the '''Pacific-8 Conference''', or '''Pac-8''' for short. The Pac-8 did not allow a second [[Bowl game|bowl]] team from the conference until the [[1975 NCAA Division I football season|1975 season]];<ref name="boelem75">{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Ua5VAAAAIBAJ&sjid=POADAAAAIBAJ&pg=5990,1304396 |newspaper=Eugene Register-Guard |last=Newnham |first=Blaine |title=Bowling 'em over |date=December 5, 1975 |page=1B}}</ref> in basketball, participation in the [[National Invitation Tournament]] (NIT) was not allowed until [[1973 National Invitation Tournament|1973]].<ref name=nineacc>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=tdkvAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0ewDAAAAIBAJ&pg=7082%2C397360 |work=Spokesman-Review |agency=Associated Press |title=Nine accept NCAA bids; NIT lines up five teams |date=March 2, 1972 |page=23}}</ref>

[[Idaho Vandals|Idaho]] was never invited to join the AAWU<!--{{citation needed|date=February 2018}}-->;<ref name=binfol/> the Vandals were independent for four years until the formation of the [[Big Sky Conference]] in 1963, and were independent in football until [[1965 Idaho Vandals football team|1965]].

===Pacific-10===
[[File:Pacific-10 Conference logo.png|thumb|Final Pac-10 Conference logo]]

In [[1978 NCAA Division I-A football season|1978]], the conference added [[University of Arizona|Arizona]] and [[Arizona State]] from the [[Western Athletic Conference]], becoming the '''Pacific-10 Conference''' or '''Pac-10'''. The invitations to the schools were extended in December 1976,<ref name=p8citwonew>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MW00AAAAIBAJ&sjid=754EAAAAIBAJ&pg=5472%2C2802732 |newspaper=Tuscaloosa News |agency=Associated Press |title=Pacific 8 Conference invites two new tenants |date=December 14, 1976 |page=12 }}</ref> and the expansion formally announced in May 1977.<ref name=p10scp8>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NlZOAAAAIBAJ&sjid=9PgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5195%2C805369 |newspaper=Spokane Daily Chronicle |agency=Associated Press |title=Pacific-10 succeeds Pacific-8 |date=May 18, 1977 |page=39 }}</ref>

In the mid-1980s, three of the northwest schools (Oregon, Oregon State, Washington State) were having financial difficulties in athletics, primarily with revenue from football, and their long-term membership in the conference was in question.<ref name=hanscda>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ANpVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MOEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6864%2C5086078<!-- https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=GllWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Ue8DAAAAIBAJ&pg=2054%2C2062764 -->|work=Eugene Register-Guard |agency=Associated Press<!-- |last=Wilson |first=Bernie-->|title=Hansen says economics won't tear Pac-10 apart |date=June 20, 1986 |page=3C}}</ref>

The Pac-10 began sponsoring women's athletics in the fall of 1986.<ref>[https://news.asu.edu/20201228-pac-10-celebrates-25-years-womens-sports Pac-10 celebrates 25 years in women's sports.] ASU News, Arizona State University December 20, 2010</ref><ref>Lewis, Michael C. - [https://archive.sltrib.com/article.php?id=52101465&itype=CMSID Pac-12 has been a trailblazer for women in sports.] Salt Lake Tribune, July 18, 2011</ref> Women's teams previously competed with other large universities on the [[West Coast of the United States|Pacific coast]] in either the [[Northern Pacific Conference (women's)|Northern Pacific Conference]] or the [[Western Collegiate Athletic Association]].<ref>Voepel, Michael - [https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/39663885/womens-ncaa-basketball-pac-12-ranking-best-players-all Who are the top 50 players in Pac-12 women's basketball history?] ESPN, March 6, 2024</ref>

In the mid-1990s, the conference expressed interest in admitting the University of Colorado and the [[University of Texas at Austin|University of Texas]] after the collapse of the [[Southwest Conference]]. Texas expressed an interest in joining a strong academic conference, but joined three fellow Southwest Conference schools ([[Texas A&M University|Texas A&M]], [[Texas Tech University|Texas Tech]], and [[Baylor University|Baylor]]) to merge with the [[Big Eight Conference]] to form the [[Big 12 Conference]] in [[1996 NCAA Division I-A football season|1996]]. Colorado elected to remain in the newly formed Big 12.<ref>Mark Wangrin – [http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/stories/MYSA081405.3N.SWCbaylor.tech.1ca3e1c.html "Power brokers: How tagalong Baylor, Tech crashed the revolt"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080223200439/http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/stories/MYSA081405.3N.SWCbaylor.tech.1ca3e1c.html |date=February 23, 2008 }}. San Antonio Express, August 14, 2005</ref>

Before the addition of Colorado and Utah in 2011, only the [[Ivy League]] had maintained its membership for a longer time than the Pac-10 among Division I conferences. Commissioner Larry Scott said on February 9, 2010, that the window for expansion was open for the next year as the conference began negotiations for a new television deal. Speaking on a conference call to introduce former Big 12 commissioner Kevin Weiberg as his new deputy, Scott talked about possibly adding new teams to the conference and launching a new television network.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/02/09/SPTB1BUVCC.DTL|title=Pac-10 considers becoming Pac-12|last=Ratto|first=Ray|date=August 13, 2010|work=The San Francisco Chronicle}}</ref> Scott, the former head of the Women's Tennis Association, took over the conference in July 2009. In his first eight months on the job, he saw growing interest from the membership over the possibility of adding teams for the first time since Arizona and Arizona State joined the conference in 1978.

===Pac-12===
{{Main|2010–2014 NCAA conference realignment}}

In early June 2010, there were reports that the Pac-10 was considering adding up to six teams to the conference: the University of Texas, [[Texas A&M University]], [[Texas Tech University]], the [[University of Oklahoma]], [[Oklahoma State University–Stillwater|Oklahoma State University]], and the University of Colorado.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/06/03/SPQN1DPK0U.DTL | work=The San Francisco Chronicle | title=The Pac-10's meet market | first=Ray | last=Ratto | date=August 8, 2010}}</ref>

On June 10, 2010, the University of Colorado Boulder accepted an invitation to join the Pac-10 Conference, effective starting with the 2012–2013 academic year.<ref name="utahpressrelease">{{Cite web |date=2010-06-17 |title=University of Utah Joins Pac-10 |url=https://utahutes.com/news/2010/6/17/University_of_Utah_Joins_Pac_10.aspx |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=University of Utah Athletics |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pac-10.org/genrel/061010aaa.html |title=University of Colorado Joins Pac-10 |access-date=June 10, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100612014215/http://www.pac-10.org/genrel/061010aaa.html |archive-date=June 12, 2010 }}</ref> The school later announced it would join the conference a year earlier than previously announced, in the 2011–2012 academic year.

On June 15, 2010, a deal was reached between [[University of Texas at Austin|Texas]] and the [[Big 12 Conference]] to keep Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma State in the Big 12. Following Texas' decision, the other Big 12 schools that had been rumored candidates to join the Pac-10 announced they would remain in the Big 12. This deal effectively ended the Pac-10's ambition to potentially become a sixteen-team conference.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/college-sports/news/story?id=5286672|title=Texas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State stay put in Big 12 Conference|date=June 14, 2010|publisher=ESPN|access-date=September 20, 2015}}</ref>

On June 17, 2010, the [[University of Utah]] accepted an invitation to join the Pac-10 Conference, effective starting July 2011.<ref name="utahpressrelease"/> Utah was a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) with Arizona and Arizona State before those two left for the Pac-10 in 1978. The Utes left an expanded WAC with seven other schools in 1999 to form the new [[Mountain West Conference]]. Utah became the first "[[BCS Buster]]" to join a BCS conference, having played in (and won) two BCS games beforehand.

On July 27, 2010, the conference unveiled a new logo and announced that the Pac-10 would be renamed the Pac-12 when Utah and Colorado formally joined in July 2011. On October 21, the Pac-12 announced that its football competition would be split into [[#Divisions|two divisions]]—a North Division comprising the Pacific Northwest and Bay Area schools, and a South Division comprising the [[Mountain Time Zone]] and Southern California schools. On July 1, 2011, the Pac-12 assumed its 12-team alignment when both Colorado and Utah officially joined as full members.

On August 15, 2012, the conference debuted the [[Pac-12 Network]]. It was the third college sports conference to launch a dedicated network, and the first to completely fund and own their own network outright.

The conference had been based in [[Walnut Creek, California|Walnut Creek]]<!-- 800 S. Broadway--> since the late 1970s until August 2014.<ref name="mvghq">{{cite web |last=Smith |first=Michael |date=August 19, 2013 |title=Pac-12 moving its headquarters to San Francisco |url=https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Journal/Issues/2013/08/19/Colleges/Pac-12-move.aspx |access-date=November 22, 2021 |publisher=Sports Business Journal}}</ref> Since 2014, the conference was headquartered in [[San Francisco, California]]<!-- 360 Third St.-->, with the conference moving to working remotely once the lease expires in June 2023.<ref>{{cite news |title=Going remote: Pac-12 moving out of San Francisco office |url=https://apnews.com/article/sports-business-basketball-las-vegas-mens-2bd0634980bbf7b4e4d19318852b8ce1 |access-date=March 30, 2022 |work=Associated Press |date=March 29, 2022 |language=en}}</ref> The Pac-12 Network and meeting space for headquarters employees are now located at [[Bishop Ranch]] in [[San Ramon, California|San Ramon]], an [[East Bay]] suburb.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Moore |first=Sam |title=Pac-12 relocating San Francisco headquarters to East Bay |url=https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/pac-12-relocating-sf-headquarters-17716485.php |access-date=2024-03-16 |work=SFGATE |language=en}}</ref>

=== 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>