WSU president Kirk Schulz opens up on Pac-12 collapse and a failed media deal with Apple TV amid a terrible Big 12 expansion

The Pac-12 collapse has been well-documented over the previous year or so. However, we might have just had the biggest drop as Washington State president Kirk Schulz went on the record and discussed these topics.

While speaking to Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News, Schulz spoke on the issues going on throughout the conference.

"We've got just a couple networks that are making the real decisions about who goes where, based on the dollars they want to put into it. I do think if I was Fox and ESPN, I'm not sure I want Fox and ESPN. I'm not sure Apple is in the marketplace, frankly. I don't want somebody with pockets that are that deep as a rival if I can afford it."

Schulz also suggested how Fox lured Oregon and Washington to the Big Ten to avoid a media rights deal with Apple TV. However, time is running out on a potential deal before the Pac-12 collapse becomes official.

"I think we need to make a decision sometime in September, so we have some time, but it's going to go by really, really fast. And to be clear, I think it will be known by October 1. Part of it is football schedules have to be arranged. You need to figure out the financial impact of a conference move." h/t Mercury News

This will be interesting to see if any other Pac-12 president backs Schultz here or if he comes off as a conspiracy theorist.

How far are we from a complete Pac-12 collapse?

The Pac-12 collapse could be happening very soon as eight of the 12 teams in the conference a year ago have new homes beginning in 2024. The Pac-12 also is currently without a media rights deal with less than 10 months remaining on the current deal.

Oregon State, Washington State, Stanford, and California are the remaining teams scheduled to be in the conference in 2024. The teams can still decide to leave for another conference, like Stanford and Cal have been looking at the Atlantic Coast Conference.

If we are discussing the end of the Pac-12 and when it can officially happen, it could be soon. The only saving grace for them would be if Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff and Oliver Luck are able to get a merger with the Mountain West Conference.

There are definitely some ways the conference can be saved but if we were to put the Pac-12 collapse on the doomsday clock, it would be at 11:30.