Arizona State Angry With Pac-12 Conference, Open To Leaving

Things are not going well in the Pac-12 Conference.

USC and UCLA are on their way out after 2023, fleeing for the Big Ten.

As a result, The Pac-12 still doesn’t have a new media rights deal, increasing financial uncertainty.

READ: PAC-12’S NEW MEDIA DEAL NEGOTIATIONS IN SERIOUS TROUBLE: REPORT

Things have gotten so desperate that the conference has apparently reached out to institutions like SMU.

While there’s nothing wrong with SMU in and of itself, it doesn’t rise to the educational or athletic levels that the Pac-12 has historically demanded.

So it’s not a complete surprise that some member schools aren’t exactly thrilled with the conference’s direction.

According to one new report, ASU may be so unhappy that they have one foot out the door already.

That does not bode well for the Pac-12’s future.

TEMPE, ARIZONA - NOVEMBER 19: Running back Daniyel Ngata #4 of the Arizona State Sun Devils waits for kick during the first half against the Oregon State Beavers at Sun Devil Stadium on November 19, 2022 in Tempe, Arizona. The Beavers beat the Sun Devils 31-7. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)

Pac-12 Problems

Arizona State hasn’t exactly been college football’s most successful program of late, but the Sun Devils still have immense value.

Beyond the massive alumni base and fan following, ASU brings with it the Phoenix television market.

Phoenix, for the sake of comparison, is a similar market size to Boston.

Obviously given the region has a substantial amount of transplants, not all are ASU fans, but the market still has substantial value for media bidders.

While ASU leaving the Pac-12 would be bad enough, the conference's issues could be even further compounded.

Namely, it's hard to see ASU leaving without the University of Arizona joining. Losing the two Arizona schools would be an even further blow to the conference's future and media value.

The Wildcats routinely have a top 5-top 10 basketball program, generating revenue and national television interest.

It's not clear where exactly the Sun Devils would go, but just the threat of them going elsewhere has to be enough to make the conference nervous. You'd think it'd be impossible for the news around the Pac-12 to get worse, but this report certainly won't help.