The Pac-12 Conference has been a hot topic in the college sports world lately, and Arizona president Robert Robbins has been at the forefront of the conversation. With rumors swirling about conference realignments and the Big 12 possibly targeting Pac-12 teams, Robbins has been vocal about his commitment to keeping the Pac-12 together.
Robbins recently spoke with The Daily Wildcat, the student newspaper at the University of Arizona, about a range of issues affecting the conference. Here are some highlights from his interview:
Keeping the Pac-12 Together
Robbins emphasized that he believes in the strength of the Pac-12 and the importance of keeping the conference intact. He noted that the conference’s universities share values such as academic excellence, research, and community engagement, and that these values align with his vision for the University of Arizona.
Robbins acknowledged that discussions about conference realignment are always ongoing, but said that he and his colleagues are focused on maintaining the Pac-12’s stability. “Our priority is to keep our conference together, keep it strong,” he told The Daily Wildcat.
TV Deal Expectations
The Pac-12’s current TV deal with ESPN and Fox is set to expire in 2024, and negotiations on a new deal are expected to begin soon. Robbins said he hopes the conference can secure a more lucrative deal this time around.
“We’re one of the few conferences that’s on both ESPN and Fox, but we’re not getting the revenue that some of the other conferences are getting,” he said. “So we need to have a really good negotiation when we negotiate our TV contract, and get the revenues up so that we can compete at the highest level.”
Deadlines
Robbins said that there are no hard deadlines for making decisions on conference realignment or TV deals, but that it’s important to be proactive and prepared.
“I think we need to be ready for whatever might come down the pike,” he said. “We need to have contingency plans in place, but we’re really trying to focus on our conference and keep it together.”
Big 12 Interest
With the Big 12 reportedly considering adding new teams, there has been speculation that the conference could target Pac-12 schools. Robbins said that he’s aware of the rumors, but that he’s confident in the Pac-12’s ability to withstand any poaching attempts.
“We have great teams, great universities, and great leadership,” he said. “We’re confident that we’ll be able to weather any kind of storm that comes our way.”
Overall, Robbins seems committed to keeping the Pac-12 strong and relevant in the college sports landscape. As negotiations for a new TV deal and potential conference realignment loom in the coming years, it will be interesting to see how the Pac-12 responds and whether Robbins’ vision for the conference comes to fruition.
