The ACC, Big Ten, and Pac-12 conferences have formed an inter-conference alliance that will focus on a “collaborative approach”. This move comes just weeks after the announcement that the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners would be leaving the Big 12 and joining the SEC. The move should counter the power the SEC was attempting to amass and should prevent more schools from jumping to the SEC like the two Big 12 schools. News outlets reported that the Pac-12 was the most aggressive conference in trying to form this bold new alliance.
The ACC, Big Ten and Pac-12 announced the formation of an alliance on Tuesday.
The joint announcement emphasized “the future evolution of college athletics and scheduling.” pic.twitter.com/V32NsX2e0b
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 24, 2021
The alliance between the ACC, Big Ten, and Pac-12 will also include inter-conferences games in men’s and women’s basketball in addition to football, per release.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) August 24, 2021
Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff released the following statement about the new alliance: “The historic alliance announced today between the Pac-12, ACC, and Big Ten is grounded in a commitment to our student-athletes, we believe that collaborating together we are stronger in our commitment to addressing the broad issues and opportunities facing college athletics.” The conferences are maintaining that this is not a direct response to the SEC becoming a super conference. For now, this will likely only impact some regular-season games in some sports. It could even lead to some more dynamic games earlier in some seasons.
Hoops info from THE ALLIANCE:
“In women’s and men’s basketball, the three conferences will add early and mid-season games as well as annual events that feature premier matchups between the three leagues.”
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) August 24, 2021
ACC commissioner Jim Phillips said the following in a statement about the Alliance: “The ACC, Big Ten, and Pac-12 recognize the unique environment and challenges currently facing intercollegiate athletics, and we are proud and confident in this timely and necessary alliance that brings together like-minded institutions and conferences focused on the overall educational missions of our preeminent institutions. “The alliance will ensure that the educational outcomes and experiences for student-athletes participating at the highest level of collegiate athletics will remain the driving factor in all decisions moving forward.”
