SAN FRANCISCO — The Pac-12 is pushing up negotiations for its next media rights agreements in the wake of the decision by UCLA and USC to leave for the Big Ten.
The Pac-12 announced its board of directors authorized negotiations following a meeting Tuesday morning.
The conference's current media rights deal expires in 2024, but the Pac-12 accelerated the timeline for negotiations for the next one with two of its marquee programs headed out the door.
UCLA and USC announced last Thursday that they are leaving the conference for the Big Ten in 2024, knocking the Pac-12 out of the nation's second-largest media market.
The Pac-12 already had the lowest distribution number among Power Five schools, paying its member institutions $19.8 million in 2021, and losing the two Southern California schools would likely drop that number.
CU Boulder officials said the university supports the decision of the Pac-12 Board of Directors to begin conference media rights negotiations.
"We are committed to the Pac-12 Conference and look forward to being an active participant in those conversations," said a statement from CU Boulder Chancellor Philip DiStefano and Athletic Director Rick George.
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