UC Board of Regents approves UCLA decision to leave Pac-12 for Big Ten

The final hurdle between UCLA and a move from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten was the University of California Board of Regents. Wednesday, that decision came in.

The board decided to sign off on the decision after going into closed session, according to the Los Angeles Times’ Ben Bolch. That paves the way for the Bruins to join USC in the Big Ten as both teams leave the Pac-12 in 2024.

With the approval, UCLA will have to take some mitigation measures regarding travel and the well-being of its athletes, Bolch reported.

Questions rose about what the board would do particularly because of the amount of travel involved and the amount of money the university would spend. The National Collegiate Players Association was among the groups to voice those concerns about joining the Big Ten in a letter to the board last week.

“Like many other FBS colleges, UCLA does not have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem,” the NCPA wrote. “UCLA’s athletic budget deficit despite record high athletic revenues over the last 5 years reflects this. UCLA is fully capable to preserving all sports if it remains in the Pac-12.

“If the Regents are concerned that UCLA may cut sports if the Big Ten move is blocked, the Regents should block UCLA’s ability to cut sports instead of allowing UCLA to drag its entire athletic program to the other side of the country for games.”

Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff: Conference would ‘strongly support’ decision to reverse UCLA’s decision

Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff has also been vocal in his opposition to the move and sent a letter of his own to the board in September. He cited multiple factors in his letter, which The New York Times obtained, including travel time and how travel costs could soar to as much as $23 million if UCLA continues to charter flights. He also said the departure could affect Cal because of the Pac-12 media rights deal.

In addition, Kliavkoff said although it’d be a “heavy ask,” he said “for the current and future generations of UCLA student-athletes, we would strongly support a decision by the UC Board of Regents to reverse the decision made by UCLA.”

Because USC isn’t in the University of California system, the Trojans weren’t impacted by the board’s decision.