Oregon, Washington Join Big Ten Conference, Strengthen Western Group Including UCLA, USC

The Pac-12 faced another major blow when the Big Ten added Oregon and Washington as new members, according to ESPN. 

The move strengthens the Western portion of the Big Ten which USC and UCLA will join next year. The conference is set to become the largest major athletic conference at 18 members.

Oregon and Washington will receive approximately $30 million annually when they join the league. The shares will increase by $1 million during the current media contract with Fox, NBC and CBS, which runs through the 2029-30 athletic season. After that the schools would receive full shares. 

According to one story last week, one source has mentioned playing the Big Ten championship in the iconic Rose Bowl. 

UCLA, which plays in the Rose Bowl, and USC are expected to receive more than $60 million annually from the new agreement this year, an amount that will increase over the life of the deal. 

The move, along with the loss of Colorado to the Big 12, has left decimated the Pac 12, which was a historic partner in the Rose Bowl Game. Traditionally the Pac 12 champion and the Big Ten champ met in the Grandaddy of Them All.

There has been some speculation that UCLA’s move to the Big Ten could result in bigger crowds at UCLA home games in the iconic stadium due to the propensity of Big Ten fans to travel to see their teams.  

The expansion additions mean the Big Ten will reissue its 2024 and 2025 football schedules, announced in early June. 

“We are excited to welcome the University of Oregon and the University of Washington to the Big Ten Conference,” Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti said in a statement carried by ESPN. 

“We look forward to building long-lasting relationships with the universities, administrators and staff, student-athletes, coaches and fans. Both institutions feature a combination of academic and athletic excellence that will prove a great fit for our future.”