In the midst of an astonishing seismic change in college athletics, Big Ten voted Thursday to add Southern California and UCLA as members of the conference from 2024.
The expansion to 16 teams will take place after Pac-12’s current media rights agreement with Fox and ESPN has expired, making Big Ten the first meeting to spread from the Atlantic to the Pacific.
The surprise announcement of the Pac-12 came almost a year after Oklahoma and Texas officially accepted the invitation to the Southeastern Conference in July 2025.
Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren said that USC and UCLA are both members of Pac-12, an iteration almost a century ago, submitted a membership application, and the council of the league’s president and prime minister. He said he unanimously voted to add a school in Los Angeles.
“Ultimately, Big Ten is the perfect place for USC and Trojan horse athletics as we move into a new world of college sports,” said Mike Bourne, USC’s athletic director. “We are thrilled that our values are in line with the league’s member institutions. We also benefit from the stability and strength of the conference. The athletic performance of the Big Ten institutions; the conference is ours. Increased visibility, exposure, and resources that bring student athletes and programs, and the ability to expand engagement with passionate graduates across the country. “
Big Ten builds on its previous expansion into the country’s largest media market, a move that allows conferences to keep pace with the SEC as one of the most powerful entities in college sports.
Big Ten wins the Blue Blood program of Football (USC) and Basketball (UCLA) and a well-known brand that enhances the value of the new media rights package for the conference currently under negotiation.
Losing flagship schools like USC and UCLA is a big blow to the Pac-12, which has built a long and friendly relationship with the Big Ten, best shown in the Rose Bowl partnership.
“We are very surprised and disappointed with the news from UCLA and USC today, but we have a long history of leadership in athletics, scholars, and student athletes, and we will continue to grow and grow. I’m confident we’ll go, the future, “Pac-12 said in a statement.
The next move for Pac-12 is unknown, but it may add schools in place of USC and UCLA.
“We look forward to working with current and future members to open up the future of college athletics together,” said Pac-12.
Big Ten has expanded twice in the last few years, with Nebraska in 2011 and Maryland and Rutgers in 2014.
USC and UCLA meet the Big Ten academic profile. Both schools are one of the 65 members of the Association of American Universities, which is made up of prestigious research universities. All Big Ten Schools except Nebraska are members.
“From a wider national platform for increased exposure and student athletes to enhanced resources for our team, this move will help maintain the UCLA athletic heritage for the next generation. “Masu,” said Martin Jarmond, UCLA Athletic Director.
“We value Pac-12 membership deeply and have great respect for the conference and other member institutions, but each school faces its own challenges and circumstances, which is appropriate for UCLA. I believe it is the right move at the right time. “
USC and UCLA are in a position to significantly increase revenue. Pac-12 distributed only $ 19.8 million per school in fiscal year 2021, which is by far the lowest in the Power5 conference. Big Ten’s school distribution was $ 46.1 million, second only to the SEC’s $ 54.6 million.
The Pac-12 struggled to keep track of the conference television network, but the Big Ten Network is the most established conference network.
USC and UCLA will take a step in football in both visibility and competition.
The televised game of “Pac-12 After Dark” starts from midnight to midnight in most of the country, making it difficult for meetings to be exposed. Pac-12 has teamed only twice in the College Football Playoff, Oregon (2014 season) and Washington (2016).
USC President Carroll L. Fault said she and her university leaders are considering a coast-to-shore trip to the competition at Big Ten. Nebraska is currently the westernmost school of the conference, and Lincoln is about 1,500 miles from Los Angeles. Rutgers University, at the easternmost point of Big Ten, is about a five and a half hour flight from Los Angeles.
“We are fortunate enough to be able to attend meetings on travel and scheduling plans for the next two years,” says Folk.
Last August, the Big Ten, Pac-12, and Atlantic Coast Conference formed an alliance following the participation of Oklahoma and Texas in the SEC. At the conference, 41 members said they would take a collaborative approach to envisioning the future of athletics. The three meetings set up some sports scheduling arrangements and pooled resources to promote the welfare of athletes.
In less than a year, the future of the alliance will look bleak as Big Ten wins two of Pac-12’s biggest brands.
USC and UCLA have been in a tough conference relationship for many years. USC joined California, Oregon, Oregon, Stanford, Washington, and Washington in 1922, and joined UCLA in 1928.
They went together to the Western University Athletic Association in 1959 and became Pac-8 in 1968, Pac-10 in 1978, and Pac-12 in 2011.