Boise State among 4 joining Pac-12 for 2026-27

What does this mean for the future of the Pac-12?

The Pac-12 Conference is expanding once again, this time adding four new members: Boise State, San Diego State, Fresno State, and UNLV. The four schools will join the conference in 2026-27, bringing the total number of members to 12.

How did this happen?

The expansion was announced on Thursday, June 30, 2023, after the Pac-12 presidents and chancellors voted unanimously to invite the four schools. The invitation was accepted by all four schools, and the expansion will officially take effect on July 1, 2026.

What are the benefits of expansion?

The addition of four new members will bring several benefits to the Pac-12. First, it will increase the conference's footprint in the Western United States. Second, it will add four schools with strong athletic programs, which will help to improve the overall competitiveness of the conference. Third, it will provide the Pac-12 with a larger media market, which will help to increase the conference's revenue. The addition of these 4 western schools may result in realignment for olympic sports, but nothing has been announced as of today, July 10, 2023.

What are the challenges of expansion?

Expanding the conference to 12 members will also present some challenges. First, it will increase the travel costs for all of the schools. Second, it will make it more difficult to schedule games, as each team will now play 11 conference games instead of 9. Third, it could lead to a decrease in the quality of play, as the conference will now be more top-heavy. Third, the Pac-12 will not have an equal amount of teams in each division. The North will have 7 while the south will have just 5.

What is the future of the Pac-12?

The addition of Boise State, San Diego State, Fresno State, and UNLV is a major step forward for the Pac-12. The conference is now better positioned to compete with the other Power 5 conferences, and it has a brighter future than ever before.