Colorado chancellor says the 'goal is to stay in the Pac-12' amid realignment rumors

As the Pac-12 continues to work through its media rights deal, there’s been no shortage of conference realignment rumors. Colorado has found itself at the center of it all, mostly connected to the Big 12.

Wednesday, CU’s chancellor appeared to shut that down.

“[CU’s] goal is to stay within the Pac-12 and have a media deal coming up shortly,” Phil DiStefano told the Denver Post’s Sean Keeler. “That’s our goal. And I believe the presidents and chancellors of the Pac-12 are together on that.”

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DiStefano’s comments came two days before the Pac-12 converges on Las Vegas for the league’s media day — a day that will not include coach Deion Sanders due to a follow-up surgery. The hope was the conference would have an update of some kind on its upcoming media rights deal, but multiple reports indicate that’s not likely to happen.

DiStefano knows how that plays into conference realignment conversation even though he’s not on social media. He’s hoping to get some guidance on where things stand this week.

“I think [the speculation has happened] because there’s not a deal at this point,” DiStefano said. “There’s a lot of talk about [Big 12] expansion. But … I don’t read social media very much so I don’t know what people are saying, but I hope that we’ll have some direction [Thursday] in our meeting.”

The Pac-12 is the only conference that doesn’t have a media rights deal in place for 2024 and beyond. That’s a big reason for the rumors about teams possibly leaving the league, and it’s possibly a reason San Diego State will wind up staying in the Mountain West.

Colorado has been one of the teams mentioned most in realignment rumors and reportedly held “substantive talks” with the Big 12. Other Pac-12 teams to come up in connection with the Big 12 include the Arizona, Arizona State and Utah as commissioner Brett Yormark looks to go West.

For now, though, it looks like the Pac-12 — minus Big Ten-bound USC and UCLA — will stay in tact, according to DiStefano. They’re also waiting to hear something from commissioner George Kliavkoff, and they could get that Thursday when the presidents and chancellors meet.

“I’m eagerly awaiting to hear what the commissioner has to say [Thursday],” DiStefano said. “But at this point, the 10 [Pac-12] schools are staying together and awaiting a message from the commissioner.”