In the heat of arguably the most impactful summer in college football history since the SEC expansion in 1990, the landscape of Power 5 college football has changed dramatically. The Pac-12 has turned into the “Pac-2,” Oklahoma and Texas, longstanding BIG 12 rivals, have joined the SEC, and the BIG 10 upgrades with the powerful additions of Oregon, Washington, UCLA, and USC.
There are many causes for this dramatic shift in the college football landscape, some going back to the 80’s. Here are some of the biggest causes for the chaos of the new look for the conferences today:
The 1984 Supreme Court Decision delivered by John Paul Stevens
While the former Supreme Court Justice passed away in 2019, his legacy on college football is only now beginning to come to light. He delivered the majority opinion in the 1984 case that broke the NCAA’s monopoly on college football television rights. This 7-2 decision, a landmark moment in the sport’s history, paved the way for conferences to pursue television deals on their own in a free and competitive market. It is arguably the most important legislation college football has ever had throughout its long history, and it is the catalyst for all of the conference changes taking place.
FOX and ESPN’s Huge Investments
FOX Sports, a key player in the media landscape, is fueling much of the BIG 10 expansion efforts. They are the conference’s primary media rights partner and a 61% owner of the BIG 10 Network. It’s a strategic business move for them, as they purchase the four most prominent brands of the former Pac-12, Oregon, Washington, USC, and UCLA, for use on their majority-owned network.
On the other hand, ESPN partnered with FOX Sports to secure media rights for the BIG 12, adding eight teams from other conferences, mainly the ACC and Pac-12. While they don’t own a majority of the conference network like FOX Sports does with the BIG 10, ESPN not only helped save the BIG 12 from collapse but will also stand to profit significantly from the increased competition from newly added schools.
A Tale of Two Conferences
It’s widely known that the Pac-12 will break up its traditional lineup after the 2024 CWS, but it’s less recognized that the BIG 12 was on a similar path. After Texas and Oklahoma left for brighter prospects in the SEC, there was concern that the conference would dissolve, as those two schools comprised most of their viewership. However, the BIG 12 took a different approach. They immediately sought to secure a multi-year television deal, a move that provided much-needed stability to the conference. As mentioned above, they signed a new agreement with ESPN and FOX Sports. This strategic decision, coupled with the addition of four new teams and the appointment of a new commissioner, Brett Yormark, turned the tide for the BIG 12 while spelling doom for the once-great Pac-12.
Need clarification on the multiple conferences reorganized in the offseason? Fortunately, we have compiled the entirety of the Power 5 realigned college football world into a digestible list just for you.
ACC | BIG 10 | BIG 12 | Pac-12 | SEC |
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This upcoming college football season is shaping up to be one of the most unique and intriguing ones we, as fans, have ever seen. Upcoming inter-conference matchups such as Oregon vs. Ohio State, Texas vs. Georgia, and USC vs. Michigan will be as thrilling as they are unpredictable. This season will be the first of many great ones to come, and Big Game is just as excited as you are to welcome in the new era of college football. If you share our enthusiasm, check out our wide selection of licensed FBS game footballs on our website today!