Big 12, Pac-12 commissioners meeting to discuss potential partnership

Days after Texas and Oklahoma officially accepted membership offers to defect from the Big 12 and head to the SEC, Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby and Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff are planning to have what could ultimately become a vital discussion. 

The Athletic's Max Olson and Bruce Feldman explained that Bowlsby and Kliavkoff are meeting Tuesday to talk about a potential partnership between their conferences. A merger could be on the table, or the leagues could form a scheduling alliance that would involve member institutions facing off on a yearly basis.

While speaking before the Texas Senate on Monday, Bowlsby acknowledged the Big 12 could partner with a different conference. "There may be opportunity for mergers," he added. "There may be opportunities to add members. There may be other opportunities that are currently unforeseen." 

Per Kyle Bonagura of ESPN, Kliavkoff is also open to either forming a scheduling alliance or expanding the conference.

"We're, on purpose, not reaching out and trying to poach any schools, but my phone has blown up -- absolutely blown up over the last five days," Kliavkoff told ESPN last week. "And I've got lots and lots of calls from probably every school you would imagine and probably a few you'd be surprised by. We're listening to all inbound inquiries, because it seems like the smart thing to do." 

As things currently stand, Texas and Oklahoma will join the SEC in July 2025. The Associated Press (h/t ESPN) notes those schools leaving the Big 12 could cost the conference 50% of the worth of its media rights deal.