Big Ten, ACC, Pac-12 Alliance Imminent

The Big Ten, ACC, and Pac-12 conferences are expected to formally announce an alliance in the next week, according to a report by ESPN. 

Last month, the three NCAA conferences began discussing an alliance that would coordinate scheduling, approaches to NCAA governance, and possibly playoff alignment. 

The potential decision to align the three Power 5 conferences follows the SEC bolstering its roster by adding Texas and Oklahoma, which will join from the Big 12 in 2025. 

Commissioners from the Pac-12, ACC, and Big Ten want to consolidate power and compete with the SEC’s dominance as it becomes a 16-team conference.  

• Next month, the three conferences and the SEC will meet to discuss an expanded College Football Playoff. 
• ESPN currently holds the media rights for the tournament on a $5.6 billion deal that runs from 2014 to 2025.  

For now, the Big 12 has yet to be invited to the party. 

The conference, which will dwindle to eight schools when Texas and Oklahoma depart, could still seek expansion or an alliance with another conference. 

The Big 12 and Pac-12 previously held exploratory discussions regarding a strategic partnership.