Key members of the Big Ten are reportedly interested in adding two schools to the athletic conference. On Thursday, August 3, officials from the conference’s participating academic institutions approved Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti to explore adding the University of Washington and the University of Oregon to its conference. To be clear, this is not the first time the conference has considered adding these two schools to its conference. According to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the Big Ten entertained the idea of pursuing the Huskies and Ducks after USC and UCLA joined the conference, but the pursuit quickly ended due to “complications in funding the schools at a full share.”
If Oregon and Washington were to leave the Pac-12 conference for the Big Ten, it would be a major blow. As previously mentioned, USC and UCLA have made plans to join the Big Ten. Not to mention, Colorado recently announced its desire to rejoin the Big 12.
“After careful thought and consideration, it was determined that a switch in conference would give CU Boulder the stability, resources, and exposure necessary for long-term future success in a college athletics environment that is constantly evolving,” University of Colorado Chancellor Philip DiStefano and University of Colorado Athletic Directo Rick George said in a joint statement.
“The Big 12’s national reach across three time zones as well as our shared creative vision for the future we feel makes it an excellent fit for CU Boulder, our students, faculty, and alumni. These decisions are never easy and we’ve valued our 12 years as proud members of the Pac-12 Conference. We look forward to achieving new goals while embarking on this exciting next era as members of the Big 12 Conference.”
