Colorado Received Significant Money To Ditch PAC-12 For Big 12

Colorado pocketed some serious money to leave the PAC-12 for the Big 12.

The Buffaloes were the first of four teams to split from the PAC-12 in favor of the Big 12 last summer. Arizona, Arizona State and Utah quickly followed suit.

The biggest problem for the four teams - as well as Oregon and Washington leaving for the Big Ten - was the PAC-12's inability to score a new media deal. The lack of a deal and overall instability forced the conference to implode.

Well, it turns out the Big 12 might have channeled a bit of a "Game of Thrones" vibe to get the ball rolling.

Colorado reportedly earned millions to leave the PAC-12 for the Big 12. (Photo by Andy Cross/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images)

Big 12 reportedly paid Colorado millions to leave the PAC-12.

The University of Colorado was offered a $2.5 million signing bonus to join the Big 12, according to documents obtained by USA Today.

The Buffs leaving set off a chain reaction of panic that quickly saw ASU, Arizona and Utah also run to the Big 12. However, those three didn't receive any extra money to join.

The strategy from the Big 12 is clear. Incentivize one team to leave, throw a chaos grenade into a room with the rest and watch them scramble for the lifeboats.

It clearly worked because the PAC-12 doesn't really exist anymore other than in name only with Washington State and Oregon State.

Colorado reportedly received millions in bonus money to leave the PAC-12 for the Big 12. (Photo by Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

While the documents obtained by USA Today tell a pretty clear story, commissioner Brett Yormark didn't seem too interested in discussing details Tuesday at Big 12 media days.

"I’m not going to discuss my negotiating tactics, but listen, we were thrilled that Colorado was the first mover. Ultimately one got us four, you know, when you think about it. Whatever we did in those negotiations seemed to work out pretty well for us," Yormark told USA Today.

Littlefinger is smiling with pride at how masterfully Yormark played the PAC-12 like a fiddle. Remember, chaos isn't a pit. It's a ladder.

Yormark wanted the Big 12 to not just survive, but thrive in a new era of college sports. In order to secure that future, he had to gut the PAC-12 and he did it in ruthless fashion. Let me know what you think at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.