$62 million for Oregon and Washington if they join Big Ten? Analyzing the current conference distribution value in Pac 4

Oregon and Washington left the Pac-12 for financial reasons, and the two schools will reportedly see a bumper rise in revenue in the Big Ten.

The universities announced their exit from the struggling conference last week after it failed to secure a lucrative media deal that could compete with what other conferences are giving their members.

With the new Big Ten media deal set to kick off in 2025, Oregon and Washington will reportedly receive $62 million in television money in the first fiscal year. This will be a massive increase from what the universities were bound to earn staying in the Pac-12.

However, in their first season in 2024, Oregon and Washington expect a conference distribution of about $45 million. This includes media money which starts at a discounted $30 million as the television deal predates their entrance into the league.

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How much would Oregon and Washington have earned in the Pac-12

Washington vs. Oregon

The Pac-12 reportedly distributed $444 million among its teams for the 2022-23 fiscal year, with each member getting paid $37 million. This comes as a record distribution for the Pac-12 after generating a total revenue of $581 million in the fiscal year.

The conference is expected to maintain that revenue range in the upcoming season. However, the Pac-12 earnings are expected to drop after the conclusion of its current television deal in 2024. After months of negotiations, the conference couldn't secure a lucrative deal.

The media deal the Pac-12 agreed with Apple will see each school earn a basic $23 million in media money. The reported figure is a substantial drop from the $27 million the conference teams currently make. This will be a huge financial blow for the conference members when others are getting a pay bump.

The agreement will also result in a reduction in the overall distribution after 2024. With the conference's brand less lucrative after the exit of USC and UCLA, the revenue is also expected to drop. Oregon and Washington would have earned around $32 million had they stayed in the Pac-12.

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Television money responsible for the Pac-12 collapse

Without a doubt, the fall of the Pac-12 can be blamed on the role media incentive plays in college sports. The inability of the conference to compete financially with the other Power Five conferences led to the mass exodus of its top members.

The conference will see eight of its members depart in 2024. USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington will join the Big Ten, while Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State and Utah will make their way to the Big 12, leaving the Pac-12 with just four schools.