NCAA Basketball: Impact of USC and UCLA set to join the Big Ten in 2024
Several reports signaled on Thursday that the Big Ten Conference is in talks with both USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins about becoming the 15th and 16th members of the conference. This is groundbreaking news and had been hinted by many as the next big blockbuster realignment since Texas and Oklahoma announced their move to the SEC.
UCLA made the Sweet 16 this past season and competed in the Final Four back in 2021. USC has also had tournament success as of late, reaching the Elite Eight in 2021.
Source: USC and UCLA are planning to leave for the Big Ten as early as 2024. Move *has not been finalized* at the highest levels of power.
— Jon Wilner (@wilnerhotline) June 30, 2022
Jon Wilner’s tweet (above) was the first to really break the news, with many reports confirming afterward. It is said that the deal could be done in a matter of hours or days and the Big Ten already has a statement prepared. The main driving force is said to be due to the expected revenue discrepancy between the Pac-12 and Big 10 in the coming years.
USC & UCLA move to Big Ten should be completed by Friday & Big Ten may not stop at 16, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ. Big 12 may get aggressive & look to add Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado & Utah. “We’re headed to super conferences,” source saidhttps://t.co/um8DBJVJ9s
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) June 30, 2022
In the following slides of this article, I’ll discuss the future for both conferences involved, as well as USC and UCLA. However, quickly I’d like to hit on the future of college basketball. This deal right here changes the future of the college landscape. Sure, the Texas and Oklahoma move started this — but this move etches it in stone. We are going to superconferences in college sports, for good and for bad.
There are no longer geographical concerns or loyalty to one’s conference. If a December conference matchup of UCLA @ Rutgers in New Jersey as a part of the Big Ten Conference doesn’t tell you that, then nothing will. Over the past five years, you could make a case that there were five conferences (B10, BE, ACC, SEC, B12) that were at one point ‘the best conference in college hoops’. The parity has been incredible, and respectfully, great for the game.
Unfortunately, that will no longer be the case. These moves are bad for college basketball and its fans. One of my personal favorite parts of the college basketball season is strapping in for a Pac-12 After Dark matchup at 11:00 pm with Walton and Pasch on the call. The different conference vibes and atmospheres are among the great things about college hoops. We’re going to start to lose some of that with the realignments forthcoming, and that’s a real shame.