Questions and Answers

Question #1

The Pac-12 Conference practically dissolved when USC and UCLA sent their acceptance letters to the Big 10 (Bonagura, 2023). It was a catastrophic moment for the Pac-12 that started a domino chain effect with other schools joining the MAC, Big 12, ACC, and Big Ten conferences. The Oregon State and Washington State schools were left without a big conference, the only two not scrambling for new homes. The meltdown of the Pac-12 is linked to years of faulty governance under the leadership of the Exec. Commissioners: Larry Scott, George Kliavkoff, and the need for the wisdom of the presidents.

Question #2

As for the Kansas State-Western Kentucky matchup in 2023, they teamed up with the Mountain West Conference for a scheduling alliance for the 2024 season of the Pac-12 Conference (Bonagura, 2023). The Pac-12 will comprise those two leftovers, while the Mountain West will provide six games for our conferences. From that number, three games will be at home and the other three away for each team. The abovementioned interim measure would allow OSU and WSU to continue with their games as they are determined in future seasons.

Question #3

The integration or merger with the Mountain West Conference is the right path for the long-term solution, and there is no other option for Washington State and Oregon State. A "reverse merger" may be used to achieve it, in which all WM teams go into the PC-12 enclave, and this will give them the brand value and the media rights, and the current leadership of Mountain West will be running the new conference. For instance, the WSU and OSU dollars can be split, and they can join the Mountain Conference directly. However, the option probably reduces the limited media revenue compared to the present Pac-12 funding. It is worth remembering that it just gives the university a glimpse of what will come. Unless schools are suddenly invited to a major conference somewhere, a place in the Mountain West seems to be the best viable long-term solution for the two schools.