Pac-12 commissioner takes shot at Big 12

Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff wants to protect the conference. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Pac-12 commissioner: Big 12 'trying to destabilize our remaining conference'

By Adam Stites | Last updated 7/29/22

Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff addressed reporters Friday and didn't pull punches when asked about conference realignment. At the top of his list of grievances was the Big 12, with Kliavkoff accusing the conference of working to "destabilize" the Pac-12.

In June, USC and UCLA shook the college football landscape by announcing an impending move to the Big Ten. Since then, rumors have swirled about other conference changes, including talks that the Big 12 could attempt to add as many as six of the remaining 10 schools in the Pac-12.

Kliavkoff said Friday that the Big 12's attempts to poach teams are due to the conference being "scared" by the Pac-12's media value.

P-12’s George Kliavkoff: “I’ve been spending 4 weeks trying to defend against grenades that have been lobbed in from every corner of the Big 12 trying to destabilize our remaining conference. When you look at the relative media value b/w the conferences I get why they're scared”
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) July 29, 2022

Two weeks ago, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark told reporters that his conference is "open for business" regarding the possibility of adding Pac-12 schools.

On Friday, Kliavkoff suggested that the Pac-12 could flip the script and poach some Big 12 schools to fill the void left by USC and UCLA.

It. Is. On.
Pac-12 commish George Kliavkoff about Big 12’s Brett Yormark’s comment about Big 12 is open for business. “I appreciate that. We haven’t decided if we’re going shopping there or not”
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) July 29, 2022

Meanwhile, Brett McMurphy of Action Network reported Tuesday that the Big Ten might not be done. Among seven schools reportedly in the Big Ten's sights are four Pac-12 members: Oregon, Washington, Stanford and Cal.

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