Oregon State president, athletic director ‘trusts’ Pac-12 will deliver media rights deal, solid future

Oregon State leadership expressed support of the Pac-12 on Friday, as the conference deals with school defections, media rights negotiations and possible expansion. OSU president Jayathi Murthy and athletic director Scott Barnes met with the Pac-12′s CEO group, athletic directors and conference commissioner George Kliavkoff during a virtual conference call late Thursday afternoon. The hastily assembled meeting was the result of Colorado’s decision to leave the Pac-12 for the Big 12, leaving the conference with nine schools starting in 2024-25.

The Pac-12 released a statement after its meeting, saying that it was “focused on concluding our media rights deal … we will embrace expansion opportunities and bring new fans, markets, excitement and value to the Pac-12. ” Murthy released a statement, saying “Oregon State University joins with other Pac-12 members in reaffirming our commitment to the long-term strength and vitality of the conference. We are united by our shared values, our passion for the highest level of intercollegiate athletic competition, our leadership roles as Tier 1 research universities and our support for student-athletes’ academic and athletic excellence.

” Barnes, also in a statement, said OSU athletics “trusts that the Pac-12 will secure a media rights deal that will strongly benefit the institutions that are remaining loyal to this conference. All of us at Oregon State will continue to work hard and diligently to continue the long-term membership and success of our athletic department at a national level. ” Oregon State’s future as a Power 5 school could depend on what happens with the Pac-12 and its upcoming media rights deal and expansion opportunities.

OSU is among the lowest profiles in the conference, and should the Pac-12 fold, it would be challenging for the school to land in the Big 12, Big Ten or ACC. --Nick Daschel | ndaschel@oregonian. com | @nickdaschel .