George Kliavkoff addresses rumors of Pac-12's expansion conversations with San Diego State
San Diego State might’ve assumed a Pac-12 invite was coming at some point, but you know what happens when you assume. You make a commissioner very confused.
Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff had to address the San Diego State realignment rumors but said there were no indications the conference was going to bring the school aboard. The school sent an exit notice to the Mountain West Conference back in June, saying it would exit by June 30, 2024.
But adding the school is not top priority for Kliavkoff at the moment, which came on the heels of the San Diego State reportedly remaining a member of the Mountain West Conference.
“I’m not going to disclose my conversations with any potential expansion candidates,” Kliavkoff said. “I will tell you, generally speaking, we’ve never given anyone an indication that anything would be different than the sequence I just mentioned, which is get our media rights deal done, Grant of Rights signed, then we’ll consider expansion.”
According to Ross Dellenger of Yahoo, the Mountain West “informed” San Diego State they will remain a member of the conference. To make matters even worse, the school will be responsible for the fees the Mountain West occurred while hiring legal work.
Dellenger also reports the lack of a Pac-12 media deal played a factor in the decision as well. Once there was nothing struck by the Pac-12, San Diego State preferred to stay in the Mountain West. Even so, the conference took the Aztec’s request as a “formal withdrawal.”
San Diego State President Adela de la Torre sent the letter and Mountain West Commissioner Gloria Nevarez responded the following day.
“I would like to thank you for your consideration and professionalism in discussing the resignation of San Diego State University (“SDSU”) at the Board meeting last week,” Nevarez wrote.
“Your resignation does not relieve SDSU from any obligations that SDSU may have to the Conference as a result of obligations incurred or commitments made prior to the Effective Date.”
As questions began at Pac-12 Media Days, Kliavkoff emphasized that he wants the focus to be on football right now, not the media deal
“We are not announcing our media deal today on purpose because we want the focus to be on football,” Kliavkoff said. The implication is that the Pac-12 does have a media deal in place, but it wouldn’t be announced. When asked about that, Kliavkoff denied that implication.
“I think you’re reading too much into that… We want to have the focus on football today. We have an incredibly good football story to tell and we want that to be the focus today.”
Media deals and expansion, it’s all on the table for the Pac-12. At least, on the surface. There are rumors of Colorado wanting to go back to the Big 12, San Diego State apparently wanting into the Pac-12 and the conference itself going by the wayside altogether amid the SEC-Big Ten arms race in college athletics.
Oh yeah, there’s that thing with USC and UCLA already leaving after this season. As mentioned above, those two schools are headed to the Big Ten next year.
Should the Pac-12 add San Diego State in the future? Kliavkoff certainly won’t budge on the answer.