Arizona State is reportedly delaying a move to the Big 12 after it did not come to a definitive conclusion at tonight’s Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) meeting, hoping for a last ditch effort to save what’s left of the Pac-12. Its counterpart, Arizona, is expected to have a deal finalized soon with the Big 12.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Rivals reports that ASU and the remaining “Pac-8” schools are having a meeting tomorrow “to try and salvage the conference.”
Hearing that Pac-8 (weird to say but true) is having one last ditch effort meeting tomorrow to try and salvage the conference. Michael Crow is willing to delay ASU's decision and attend that meeting. Cautiously optimistic that ASU still makes the move.
— DevilsDigest.com (@DevilsDigest) August 4, 2023
Here's our ESPN story on Arizona's discussions with the Big 12, with a deal expected to be finalized soon per ESPN sources. Details of what has transpired for Arizona and what's next for ASU, Utah, Oregon, Washington and the Pac-12. https://t.co/f4uoudHE8P
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 4, 2023
Arizona State University President Michael Crow and University of Arizona President Robert Robbins represented their schools in tonight’s meeting about realignment.
Arizona President Bobby Robbins and ASU President Michael Crow at the Arizona Board of Regents meeting before it enters into an executive session pic.twitter.com/E0g5igTddx
— Brendan Mau (@brendan_mau) August 4, 2023
Arizona has been willing to move to the Big 12 for the while and was reportedly approved earlier today to join the Big 12, according to Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger.
Big 12 executives met Thursday to approve the application of Arizona as a 14th member, sources tell @YahooSports, paving the way for the Wildcats to enter the conference. It is another step in UA’s path to join. The final step would be approval from its Board of Regents.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) August 4, 2023
Now, the Wildcats are expected to made the jump after tonight’s meeting as the ABOR gave them the thumbs up to leave solo. It was thought the two schools (ASU and Arizona) would move together along with Utah, giving the Big 12 all of the “Four Corner” schools after Colorado jumped last week.
On Tuesday, the then nine remaining teams in the conference met and were finally presented numbers for a TV rights deal. To say the least, it was not what they wanted, as the best of the three packages presented was with Apple and around 80% streaming where teams would get paid around $24.5 million on the high end, according to 247 Sports’ Jason Scheer.
Reports today say that Apple’s offer, which was clearly not good, actually expires at the end of the week.
Apple's primary media rights deal w/Pac-12 expires at end of week, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ. Proposal is in "low $20 million" figure per school/annually, but can fluctuate/increase based on membership size & subscription incentives, sources said
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) August 3, 2023
It appears that tomorrow’s meeting will be a last-ditch effort to save the conference and attempt to agree to this deal. ASU has the green light by the ABOR to move, so they could join the Big 12 if this meeting doesn’t go well and are still likely to, depending when Crow comes around.
Crow’s hesitancy is in full effect once again by delaying the move. Robbins has pretty much been dragging him through this whole process. Despite ASU not moving, Robbins and Arizona were willing to go right away with the approval from the ABOR.
“it’s almost like he’s being dragged across the finish line,” a person directly familiar with tonight’s ABOR meeting told me about their view of ASU President Michael Crow on the school’s potential move to the Big-12.
More:https://t.co/d8QgueeqRN pic.twitter.com/3M8wSHT8mP
— Chris Karpman (@ChrisKarpman) August 4, 2023
Crow’s stubbornness has been magnified by the fact that he is jealous of how much praise Robbins is getting for this decision. At this point, he appears to be the only factor holding ASU back. ASU’s Vice President of University Athletics/Athletics Director Ray Anderson and other key figures seem to be on board with a move by ASU, but Crow, who holds the final say, is making it extremely difficult.
Group therapy time. Give me your best Arizona State tanking the Big-12 move meme. pic.twitter.com/VG9jGcJefC
— Ralph Amsden (@ralphamsden) August 4, 2023
I wrote all about the situation this morning and the revolving factors. While some things have changed (like ASU delaying its move), there are still some key details in here:
The rollercoaster of the last two days of realignment, Pac-12 and ASU future news
Here is my offering on Crow from this article:
According to 247 Sports’ Brandon Marcello, Crow was reportedly content with the deal the Pac-12 was presented even yesterday, but people around him eventually convinced him to further talks into having a board meeting.
Sources: Tenor changed Wednesday at Arizona State in a matter of 4 hours. ASU prez was content with Pac-12/Apple deal. By 2 p.m., talk changed and a board meeting was being discussed for Thursday.
The undercurrent steering ships: Board wants Arizona and ASU to stick together.
— Brandon Marcello (@bmarcello) August 3, 2023
This should not come as a surprise to ASU fans. In terms of Arizona State’s athletics, Crow has infuriated a lot of people with how little he seems to know about them, yet how controlling and committed he is to the Pac-12.
Fans have been displeased with Crow since he was one of former Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott’s biggest supporters. Scott spearheaded the start of the fall of the Pac-12 by launching the independent Pac-12 Network, failing to add interested big-name schools to the conference and raking in a lot of money for himself among a variety of other things.
I suspect the rumors about Arizona leaving for the Big XII are true.
I have zero faith that @michaelcrow has a plan for ASU athletics. The fact that he allows @sundevilray23 to remain at ASU years after news of Herm’s recruiting scandal broke tells us everything we need to know
— ASU_SuperFan (@ASU_SuperFan) July 29, 2023
Crow was a part of the original group that hired Scott in 2009 and stuck by his side until the end of his tenure in 2021.
A quote from Crow from 2019 has resurfaced in the past year with everything the conference has gone through: “What somebody will be writing about three years from now or four years will be, ‘How did the Pac-12 get ahead of us.’”
ASU president Michael Crow’s view of the Pac-12 just three years ago in this @azcsports article couldn’t have been more wrong.
“What somebody will be writing about three years from now or four years will be, 'How did the Pac-12 get ahead of us.'”https://t.co/6opJ5yXRnC
— Chris Karpman (@ChrisKarpman) July 5, 2022
This could not be further from the truth of what has actually transpired. Crow’s view on athletics has made ASU a very reactionary school when it comes to big athletic decisions and slow to make any forward-moving progress, unlike academics where Crow tries to always be a step ahead.
It is a little bit unexpected that ASU did not make the decision today, but it makes sense given Crow’s past stance. Now, we will wait to see if the “Pac-8” can save the conference tomorrow or in the coming days. However, ASU and Utah still seem like they will be joining the Big 12 eventually, while Washington and Oregon are likely headed to the Big Ten.
BREAKING: Arizona State athletic director Ray Anderson comments on state of Pac-12 and ASU’s future
*Get the BEST Phoenix sports insider information, exclusive content, and access to our seasonal magazines! SIGN UP HERE to unlock our premium content!*
Brendan Mau is a college sports insider and general assignment reporter for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on Twitter via @Brendan_Mau
