The Pac-12 Conference has effectively met its demise, as only two schools now hold decision-making power. Oregon State and Washington State have unsurprisingly opted for new leadership to navigate their uncertain future. Commissioner George Kliavkoff’s tenure will come to an end in February.
Kliavkoff was appointed in July 2021 with the task of securing a fresh media rights deal for the Pac-12, ensuring the conference’s survival in the long run. Unfortunately, he was unable to secure such a deal.
The conference’s Board of Directors has announced that more information regarding future leadership will be provided soon. In a press release, the conference stated, “Further details about the new leadership of the Pac-12 will be disclosed next week.”
Kliavkoff’s departure was expected once the conference officially collapsed in late 2023. However, can we truly blame him for the demise of the Pac-12?
LAS VEGAS – George Kliavkoff, commissioner of the Pac-12, speaks at a press conference prior to the PAC-12 Football Championship football game between the Oregon Ducks and the Utah Utes at Allegiant Stadium on December 3, 2021. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
The downfall of one of the Power 5 conferences has been extensively documented, but it is worth emphasizing that the majority of the blame lies with the member institutions themselves.
Pac-12 university presidents and athletic directors had opportunities to salvage the existing structure by partnering with established television distributors to expand their media presence. Former commissioner Larry Scott also bears significant responsibility for rejecting Texas and Oklahoma when they expressed interest in leaving the Big-12.
However, a portion of the blame also falls on the Pac-12 institutions, who were absurdly concerned about the conference’s “academic” reputation.
Throughout the past decade, the Pac-12 had numerous opportunities to make better choices, embrace forward-thinking decisions, and pursue expansion more aggressively. Instead, the conference remained complacent, displaying unwarranted arrogance, and was slow to adapt to the rapidly evolving landscape of college football.
Undoubtedly, Kliavkoff could have performed better. However, the media landscape underwent significant changes during his tenure, with distribution partners adopting a more conservative approach and offering less appealing rights packages. Additionally, schools became more ruthless in their pursuit of every available dollar in the new NIL and transfer portal era.
While it may not have been entirely his fault, Kliavkoff’s departure was inevitable. The Pac-12, in its zombified state, will continue with new leadership.
According to the Source outkick.com