In a news conference Saturday to discuss Washington's move to the Big Ten in 2024, university president Ana Mari Cauce provided some of the most candid public comments yet from anyone involved in the Pac-12 media rights discussions and why the deal proposed by commissioner George Kliavkoff ultimately fell apart -- along with the conference.
Cauce noted that the Pac-12 presidents thought they would have multiple options to consider, rather than simply the reported Apple TV streaming deal that was low on guaranteed money ($23 million a year per school before a subsequent counter offer of $25 million, per The Athletic) with the potential to make more through subscription sales.
That and that the lack of any linear TV broadcast component were untenable.
Per ESPN, for the 2021-22 season, the Pac-12 reported a per-school distribution averaging $37 million.
Washington and Oregon will instead come into the Big Ten next August at a half share of the other 16 conference members.
Per ESPN's Adam Rittenberg, that share will be approximately $30 million annually when they join the league, increasing by $1 million during the current media contract with Fox, NBC and CBS, which runs through the 2029-30 athletic season before they could transition to full shares. The other Big Ten members are expected to receive more than $60 million annually from the new agreement this year with that increasing over the life of the deal.
"In the end, we did not have a deal that we thought was viable in terms of securing our stability and our future," Cauce said. "This was heart-wrenching. It was backwards and forwards, there were moment where I thought it was going one direction and then in another. Like I said, at the end we looked at the deal that we had, the only deal that we had, and it was clear that it was not giving us what we thought. It was not the deal that we had been discussing just days before, and it was not going to secure [our future].
"When you have a deal where people are saying that one of the best aspects of it is that you can get out of it in two years, that tells you a lot. We really needed to have the stability for our players, for our coaches, for our teams."
The Athletic's Stewart Mandel reported that opt-out clause was for after three years.
His report also noted that a separate potential deal involving multiple partners fell apart a the 11th hour before the presidents' self-imposed July 31 deadline to bidders.
"We had expected to have a couple of deals to look at and it did not turn out that way. Like I say, I want to be clear, I don't want to point fingers at anybody. This was a really, really difficult situation the commissioner found himself [in] all year. He worked really hard. I have every reason to believe that offers fell apart because of other factors beyond his control," Cauce said. "But at the end, I do think that at least some level of linear TV mattered. We have a history with the Pac-12 Networks that wasn't a good one.
Again, it's not that I think that there weren't long-term possibilities, but the fact that there was enough uncertainty that a plus was the fact that we could opt out tells you something. We had been living in uncertainty for too long to continue at that level. It makes it very, very hard to build."
So now, Washington and Oregon -- two founding members of the conference dating back to 1915 -- are headed to be part of an 18-team Big Ten, along with fellow current Pac-12 schools USC and UCLA, who announced their move last summer.
Cauce and Washington athletic director Jennifer Cohen noted that it wasn't an easy decision overall even if it was financially.
"I appreciate the fact that this is a bittersweet moment, "Cauce said. "UW was a founding member of the Pac-12, and so even as we're excited about this move to the Big Ten -- and we really are excited -- we recognize that for many, including me, it is a bittersweet moment. I've spent most of my adult life as part of this conference, and I have many, many wonderful memories. ...
"For more than a year, all of us worked really, really hard to find a viable path forward that would keep us together."
Said Cohen: "I too want to express that this was one of the most difficult decisions that we had to make because of the relationships and the people that are involved -- that AD group in the Pac-12, we've been through a lot together over the last several years and I think when we make tough decisions we have to always recognize the impact that we have on other people, and it's a moment to do that."
While Washington and Oregon were invited into the Big Ten, Arizona, Arizona State and Utah followed Colorado in the Big 12, leaving only four Pac-12 teams remaining in Cal, Oregon State, Stanford and Washington State.
Cauce and Cohen both said their intention and hope is to continue the Apple Cup series with Washington State in all sports, including football. But the logistics of converting that matchup to an annual non-conference game are not clear yet.
"I want to make 100 percent clear we are fully committed to continuing the Apple Cup against Washington State," Cauce said. "There is no question that the Apple Cup is a cherished tradition and we want to continue our long history with the Cougars, including Apple Cup matchups across all of our sports as part of our non-conference schedule."
Said Cohen: "I've had a chance to talk to [Washington State AD] Pat Chun [on Friday]. I think many of you know he's a really dear friend of mine and we're both really committed to this series and committed to this state and all of our fans -- not just for football but for all of our sports. We are still working on the complexities of our football schedule in general for the future years. So Pat and I will continue to work on the best plan to play the Apple Cup every year."
Also unclear is how Washington accounts for the increased travel costs and toll on athletes -- especially those in the Olympic sports -- who will now be traveling across up to three time zones for competition.
"One of the things we're most proud of here at the University of Washington is that we put our student-athletes at the center of all our decision-making. This move to join the Big Ten is about our student-athletes, not just our current student-athletes but our future student-athletes," Cohen said. "I'll be the first to say that this is not perfect. There will be challenges. This does require a lot of change and adaptability, but what I do know is we have a very active student leadership group that has an incredible partnership with our senior leadership team and we're going to be working side by side to develop the best plan. ...
"We're really confident in the agreement we have with the Big Ten and the resources that are going to be provided for us not just short-term but long-term. We're not going to get into the details of the financial agreement today, but we are looking forward to sharing that in the very near future."
Cohen also didn't want to get into the details of how the Big Ten invite came together, whether Washington reached out to the conference first or the other way around.
Either way, the message from the UW leaders was consistent and clear -- they felt there was no other choice but to make this move and they are excited about what it means for the university and its athletics programs moving forward.
"We're excited our about our students' opportunities to compete at the highest level on a truly national stage," Cauce said. "The Big Ten also has the stature and the stability that will allow us to truly be a part of shaping and leading through the seismic shifts that are taking place through the world of college sports. And, of course, we're also very excited about the academic alignment with UW's many peer universities through things such as the Big Ten's Academic Alliance. ...
"At the end, we had to do what was right. It is my responsibility to do what is right for our university and our student-athletes, and an athletic program that is truly special. And the opportunities and stability offered by the Big Ten were simply unmatched. This is a great move for our UW teams, our fans and for our entire university. Together with our new conference colleagues, we will be able to truly lead in shaping the future of college athletics both on and off the field."
