Report: Colorado eying move to the Big 12

While the Pac-12 Conference tries to pull together its next media rights deal, a member might be finally preparing its exit. The Colorado Buffaloes may be bracing for a move back to the Big 12 Conference.

ESPN’s Pete Thamel wrote on Wednesday evening, “Colorado is in discussions about leaving the Pac-12 for the Big 12, per ESPN sources. There’s a just completed board meeting and one scheduled for tomorrow on the topic. There’s a Big 12 presidents meeting tonight which will cover expansion, per sources.”

Thamel’s report says that CU has not officially petitioned to join the conference, but “Public applications to a league are often considered formalities, and on Wednesday afternoon, Colorado scheduled a follow-up ‘special board meeting’ that was expected to be required to formalize any conference move.” Thamel also reported that Colorado officials held an in-person meeting in May with Big 12 officials. That is the “most extensive contact” that any school in the league has had with the Big 12, Thamel said.

If CU departs, it would be at the conclusion of the Pac-12‘s current media rights deal, and according to Thamel, that would absolve the university from paying an exit fee to the Pac-12.

The world has spun several times on conference realignment over the last 20 years or so. Funnily enough, Colorado’s move away from the Big 12 to the then Pac-10 inspired significant movement and realignment. Now, CU is heading back, and that move might spearhead more potential moves around the country. And it also potentially comes after Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff boasted over new Colorado coach Deion Sanders. Funny how things are sometimes.

In significant news that emerged later, Brett McMurphy of Action Network reports that the move is all but official.

McMurphy reported, “CU will receive full Big 12 share ($31.7M) from ESPN/Fox media deal.” He also said that they left the conference because of the Pac-12’s uncertainty and the growing stability in the Big 12.

[Pete Thamel, ESPN]