UCLA wants to leave its traditional sports home in the Pac-12 and join the Big 10 conference. California Gov. Gavin Newsom says, ‘Not so fast.’
Reports that UCLA could join the Big 10 as soon as 2024 have been contested by Newsom and other state officials. Newsom told Fox News that an investigation is already underway to see what could potentially be done to stop the UCLA flight.
The future of the Pac-12 has been thrown into disarray by the planned departures of UCLA and rival USC to the BIG 10, which is based largely in the Midwest, with outposts on the East Coast with Rutgers and Maryland. That leaves UC Berkeley out, as well as sports powerhouses Oregon and Washington.
On the plus side, UCLA will gain even more national exposure and revenue from the move. According to reports, the school is deeply in debt. But many question the growing shift in college sports, saying they are becoming more like minor leagues to professional sports.
Newsom’s flaw is that UCLA did not notify the University of California System Board of Regents in advance of its move. It is therefore a move made without their “supervision or support”.
“I read about it (that’s how I found out),” Newsome said. “It’s not a big deal. I’m the governor of the state of California. But maybe a bigger thing is that I’m the chairman of the UC Board of Regents. I read about it. Is it a good idea? An opportunity to discuss the merits (of the decision)?” I’m not aware of anybody doing that. So it was done in isolation. It was done without the oversight or support of the regents. It was done without my knowledge.”
He also said the impact will be felt across all universities in the state, not just UC schools:
“And (there is) an impact more broadly, not only on the UC system, but on other universities, including Stanford and primarily the Cal State system … I don’t have strong opinions on this for any other reason than as a member. We were never consulted with the regents, never asked for our opinion and didn’t even have the decency to warn in advance.
Newsom also rattled his saber about potential action.
“Believe me when I say this: We will not investigate. We investigate within (and were) minutes of reading about it in the paper.
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