Kevin Warren, you absolute mad man!
On Thursday evening, the Big Ten presidents and chancellors met and unanimously voted to have the University of Southern California and University of California, Los Angeles join the conference on August 2, 2024 to begin competition for all conference sports in the 2024-25 academic year. That is an absolutely wild sentence to type.
Welcome, @UCLAAthletics and @USC_Athletics! Statement from Athletic Director Chris McIntosh: pic.twitter.com/5smju4pbTG
— Wisconsin Badgers (@UWBadgers) July 1, 2022
“As the oldest NCAA Division I athletic conference in the United States and with a footprint that will now extend from the Pacific to the Atlantic, Big Ten membership offers Bruins exciting new competitive opportunities and a broader national media platform for our student-athletes to compete and showcase their talents. Specifically, this move will enhance Name, Image and Likeness opportunities through greater exposure for our student-athletes and offer new partnerships with entities across the country,” UCLA Chancellor Gene D. Block and athletic director Martin Jarmond said in a statement.
“Ultimately, the Big Ten is the best home for USC and Trojan athletics as we move into the new world of collegiate sports,” Trojans Athletic Director Mike Bohn said. “We are excited that our values align with the league’s member institutions. We also will benefit from the stability and strength of the conference; the athletic caliber of Big Ten institutions; the increased visibility, exposure, and resources the conference will bring our student-athletes and programs; and the ability to expand engagement with our passionate alumni nationwide.”
— Mike Hall (@MikeHallHere) June 30, 2022
“The unanimous vote today signifies the deep respect and welcoming culture our entire conference has for the University of Southern California, under the leadership of President Carol Folt, and the University of California, Los Angeles, under the leadership of Chancellor Gene Block. I am thankful for the collaborative efforts of our campus leadership, athletics directors and Council of Presidents and Chancellors who recognize the changing landscape of college athletics, methodically reviewed each request, and took appropriate action based on our consensus,” Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren said.
Several schools – most of them from the Pac-12 – have contacted the Big Ten about joining the conference, sources tells @SINow.
The Big Ten, as they did USC and UCLA, will review and study potential options, but nothing is expected soon/imminent.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) June 30, 2022
There will surely be more moves made after this one and we will have much more coverage on this momentous change in the landscape of college athletics.