• Loading stock data...
Monday, June 23, 2025

UCLA Can Join the Big Ten, But There May Be A Price

  • UCLA will officially be allowed to leave Pac-12, but could pay Berkeley a subsidy of $2-10 million.
  • UC Regents, which leads all UC institutions, in favor of school to switch conferences.
UCLA Pac 12 Big 10
Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Six months after UCLA announced its intention to join the Big Ten, the decision is finally official. 

The UC Regents — a 26-member board that governs all UC schools — decided during a special meeting on Wednesday that it will not block UCLA from joining the Big Ten. The vote was 11-5.

But there is a potential caveat: After the Pac-12’s newest media deal is final, the regents could mandate UCLA to pay UC Berkeley a subsidy of $2 million to $10 million.

Regents have been deliberating since shortly after UCLA announced it would join the Big Ten in 2024, along with USC. They had planned to hand down a ruling in mid-November but postponed their final decision until Wednesday’s meeting in order to have time to consider additional research.

The decision will allow a conference move that will have a broad ripple effect across the Power 5 landscape.

UCLA will now face a major financial boon — it expects to earn up to $70 million annually from the Big Ten’s new mid-$7 billion media rights contract, the largest conference-wide agreement in all of college sports. The school will also receive elevated exposure in its new conference.

UCLA players celebrate after taking ball against Cal Berkley

The Advocacy Group That Doesn’t Want UCLA to Move to the Big..

The NCPA wants UC regents to block the conference change.
December 7, 2022

The move could have a negative impact on athletes by increasing travel times and could make academic, mental, and physical health more difficult to maintain. 

  • For these reasons, the National College Players Association — led by former UCLA football player and longtime athlete advocate Ramogi Huma — came out against the conference move. 
  • And a survey of 111 UCLA athletes found that only 35% supported it, though the majority of athletes didn’t express an opinion.

To offset these issues, UCLA claims it will use up to $10 million of the extra funds each year. The regents made recommendations for improving the athlete experience.

As a whole, the Pac-12 could lose value as it negotiates its new media rights contract. A previous UC Regents report estimated each school could lose $9.8 million in media rights value without USC, and $3.25 without UCLA. (Though it’s important to note that these numbers, compiled and presented to the Regents, were based on external media sources rather than an internal analysis).

This could cause UC Berkeley to lose money — the body decided to create a potential subsidy to cover the lost revenue.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Mar 15, 2025; Fort Worth, TX, USA; UAB Blazers forward Yaxel Lendeborg (3) dribbles the ball upcourt against the North Texas Mean Green during the first half at Dickies Arena

NIL Is Shrinking the Pool of NBA Draft Entrants

Agents are now advising many players to stay in school.
exclusive

Chip Caray Will Not be Suspended for Accidental Homophobic Slur: Sources

The verbal stumble was followed by over 30 seconds of silence.
exclusive

Lakers Reporter Dan Woike Leaves LA Times for The Athletic

Woike had been at the L.A. Times for eight years.
exclusive

LeBron James’s Growing Amazon Ties Could Lead to Prime Role

James has praised Prime’s NBA talent hires for the 2025–26 season.

Featured Today

Apr 24, 2025; Green Bay, WI, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Abdul Carter on the red carpet before the 2025 NFL Draft at Lambeau Field

‘More Is More’: The Elite Luxury Jewelers Decking Out Athletes

Meet the elite group of luxury designers crafting the biggest statement pieces.
Dec 5, 2024; Miami, FL, USA; FIFA president Gianni Infantino presents the FIFA Club World Cup trophy during the Club Word Cup draw at Telemundo Studios.
June 15, 2025

Revamped Club World Cup Is FIFA’s Billion-Dollar Gamble

The revamped soccer event debuts amid controversy.
Jun 10, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino stands during the anthem against the Switzerland during the first at Geodis Park
June 14, 2025

Gold Cup Is Complicated for USMNT—but U.S. Soccer Has Its Eyes on..

Uncertain tournament success isn’t fazing forward-looking U.S. soccer.
Jan 24, 2017; Davidson, NC, USA; The Davidson Wildcats student section cheers during the first half against the Duquesne Dukes at McKillop Court at John M. Belk Arena. Davidson defeated Duquesne 74-60.
June 6, 2025

Every College Wants a Flashy Basketball GM Hire Right Now

The role is more important than ever, and the definition is ever-evolving.
Wisconsin cornerback Xavier Lucas (6) is shown during the first quarter of their game against South Dakota Saturday, September 7 , 2024 at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Sues Miami for ‘Tampering’ With Football Transfer

Xavier Lucas signed NIL deals in Madison before transferring to Miami.
Washington's Ben Gorsage, right, and Orland Park Sandburg's Mateo Ramiro-Garcia tangle at the start of the Class 3A state 800-meter run Saturday, May 31, 2025 at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston. Gorsage took third place, followed by Ramiro-Garcia in fourth.
June 19, 2025

Dozens of Olympic Sports Have Been Cut in Wake of House v...

Tennis, track and field, and swimming and diving appear heavily impacted.
June 19, 2025

Omaha Delivers Again: LSU, Coastal Carolina Set for CWS Showdown

LSU and Coastal Carolina begin their three-game series Saturday.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Ted Leonsis unpacks basketball’s global rise, media rights, and portfolio ownership.
Jun 16, 2025; Omaha, Neb, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks starting pitcher Gage Wood (14) celebrates completing a no hitter against the Murray State Racers at Charles Schwab Field.
June 17, 2025

College World Series Enters Cinderella Era

A series of upsets gives the fast-growing event a new look this year.
Jun 14, 2025; Omaha, Neb, USA; LSU Tigers starting pitcher Kade Anderson (32) pitches against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the seventh inning at Charles Schwab Field.
June 16, 2025

How College Athlete Buyouts Could Work in the Revenue-Sharing Era

The buyouts could put both players and schools at a disadvantage.
Texas' Sam Hurley watches the announcement of the competitors in the high jump at the 2023 NCAA outdoor track and field championships, June 9, 2023 at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas.
June 16, 2025

Revenue-Sharing Model Could Boost Programs in Football’s Shadow

“We’re not getting paid the millions of dollars that football is.”
UT
June 12, 2025

Zakai Zeigler Denied Injunction for Fifth Year at Tennessee

The former Tennessee guard sued the NCAA over potential lost NIL earnings.