Last week, word got out that the Big Ten “isn’t done expanding” amid officially reaching media agreements totaling in the billions.
The conference signed deals with CBS, NBC and Peacock— in addition to Fox and FS1– that totaled more than $7 billion.
Now, Brett McMurphy of the action network is reporting that the Big Ten is talking with Oregon in Chicago in an effort to see if the Pac-12 power would be a good fit for the league.
Oregon has initiated preliminary discussions in Chicago w/Big Ten to determine if Ducks are compatible in the Big Ten, source told @ActionNetworkHQ. Big Ten “not done expanding,” sources told @ActionNetworkHQ last week. https://t.co/DYMZADm17v
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) August 22, 2022
The Big Ten shocked the college sports world earlier this summer when UCLA and USC agreed to join.
Could another Pac-12 school be on the way?
Whether Oregon is deemed a good fit or not, its clear that the Big Ten wants to get bigger.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.In an interview with Real Sports’ Bryant Gumble that airs Tuesday, conference commissioner Kevin Warren said he can picture the conference’s size increasing to 20 teams.
“I could, yeah,” Warren said when asked if he could “foresee” 20 Big Ten teams in the future. “I could see perpetual and future growth.”
McMurphy reported that Warren wasn’t involved in the discussions with Oregon in Chicago, nor were Oregon’s outgoing President, Michael Shill, or athletic director, Rob Mullins.
The Action Network also reported that the Big Ten is looking to add more Pac-12 schools to make travel easier for USC and UCLA. The two storied California programs are slated to begin playing in the Big Ten in 2024.
The Big 12 has also been looking at Pac-12 schools; Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah. While all of this is going on, the Pac-12 is looking to find a new media rights deal. The current one expires in 2024.
