Gonzaga, Pac-12 continuing discussions, nothing final
Gonzaga continues to have ongoing discussions with the Pac-12 about joining the conference but nothing has been agreed on, a source told On3.
The basketball powerhouse has long been a top conference realignment target. The Big 12 flirted with the school this spring. Gonzaga has made every March Madness since 1999 and touts a .834 winning percentage, which ranks No. 1 in college basketball during that span.
“That is not accurate reporting,” Gonzaga athletic director Chris Standiford told The Spokesman-Review of a report Gonzaga is leaving the WCC for the Pac-12.
With Memphis, Tulane, USF and UTSA announcing commitments to stay in the American Athletic Conference on Monday afternoon, the Pac-12 still needs to reach two more football-playing schools to reach the NCAA’s minimum to qualify as an FBS conference. The deadline to reach eight schools is July 2026.
Gonzaga does not have a football program, however, previous reports stated the school would receive a full television payout. Sources have said that could range between $10 to $15 million annually.
A source close to the discussions told On3 that Gonzaga and the Pac-12 are nowhere close to being finalized. This comes as the Mountain West works to get its current members to recommit to the league.
Pac-12 still needs two additional members
As On3 has previously reported, possible Pac-12 targets could be Air Force, Utah State, UNLV and Wyoming. If the schools choose to stay in the Mountain West and reaffirm their commitments, the Pac-12 could be forced to turn to Conference USA or the FCS ranks.
The American has been in conversations with Air Force, but the current expectation is the school will stay in the Mountain West.
The Pac-12’s revamped membership now includes Oregon State, Washington State, Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State and San Diego State. Adding two additional insitititiouns is critical to the conference’s future.
“The interest in the Pac-12 as a brand, and the interest in the future conference that we’re going to create and build is very, very high across a lot of different stakeholders,” Pac-12 commissioner Teresa Gould recently told On3. “Whether it’s potential media partners, whether it’s other corporate partners, institutions from other conferences, there’s just a lot of buzz and a lot of energy and a lot of interest in what we’re doing moving forward.”