As expected, Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott conducted a highly-anticipated press conference Thursday afternoon to announce several key details involving the conference’s expansion to 12 schools next year.
The most important detail to most with a connection to the league was the shape the conference’s two six-team divisions would take and, also as expected, the face of the Pac-12 will have a North-South complexion. The divisions will look as follows:
NORTHOregonOregon StateWashingtonWashington StateCalStanford
SOUTHArizonaArizona StateUCLAUSCColoradoUtah
Arguably the most important development of the day for the California quartet of institutions is the fact that, while they are not in the same divisions, they are guaranteed to play each other annually. Giving up those long-standing traditions had been a major sticking point in the discussions, and apparently a way was found around the logistics of all schools in the conferences wanting an annual trip to the fertile recruiting grounds of Los Angeles.
As it stands now, each school will play nine conference games: five within their own division, four against the opposite division. The four non-California schools in the North Division have been guaranteed one trip to Los Angeles every other year.
As far as revenue sharing is concerned, USC and UCLA will not receive a bigger slice of the conference’s revenue distribution than the other ten members as had reportedly been proposed. Instead, for the first time in the conference’s history, there will be equal revenue sharing amongst all member institutions. The new revenue sharing model will kick in for the 2012-2013 fiscal year.
At first blush, this would appear to be both a concession on the part of the SoCal schools in order to continue yearly meetings with their in-state brethren and a sign that the conference could be in line for a very, very big increase in their television deals.
Finally, and also as expected, the conference will hold a title game. For now as well as for the foreseeable future, the game will be played at the home field of the higher seed; the higher seed will be determined by the best conference record.
One final detail: as of July 1, 2011, the conference will officially be known as the Pac-12.
UPDATED 3:33 p.m. ET: Thumbs up or down on the way the conference is split? Vote HERE.
