Pac 12, ACC, Big Ten Discuss Alliance

The Pac 12, ACC, and Big Ten are discussing an alliance that would see the three NCAA conferences coordinate on scheduling — and potentially playoff alignment, as well as NCAA governance.

The news comes in the wake of the SEC beefing up its ranks with Texas and Oklahoma, which will join the conference from the Big 12 in 2025.

Talks have been ongoing for several weeks between the Pac 12, ACC, and Big Ten’s commissioners as they seek to consolidate their power and counteract the SEC’s clout. 

The three conferences and the SEC will meet in September to discuss the specifics of an expanded College Football Playoff.

• ESPN currently holds the media rights for the College Football Playoff on a $5.6 billion deal that runs from 2014 to 2025, paying $470 million to $475 million annually.
• The Big Ten distributes an annual $54 million to each of its members from media rights deals, the highest among all college conferences.
• The Pac 12, ACC, and Big Ten collectively wield 41 votes to the expanded SEC’s 16 in upcoming governance negotiations.

The Big 12 is not believed to be part of the new alliance discussions. 

The conference, which will be down to eight teams when Texas and Oklahoma depart, may still seek to expand or to ally with another conference. The Big 12 and Pac 12 had discussed teaming up, according to previous reports.