Oregon players celebrate after defeating Colorado in an NCAA college basketball game in the championship of the Pac-12 tournament Saturday, March 16, 2024, in Las Vegas. Minnesota head coach Ben Johnson points during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Michigan State in the second round of the Big Ten Conference tournament, Thursday, March 14, 2024, in Minneapolis.
“Part of me is really sad that this is not going to be here because like all the coaches in the league, I like to travel in the league and those things are all going to change,” Oregon coach Dana Altman said. “But change is exciting also, even at my age. I am kind of looking forward to it. It’s going to be a different challenge.”
Name, Image and Likeness has opened new revenue-earning opportunities for student-athletes once considered purely amateurs. With it, schools and coaches have had to adapt or get left behind. The NCAA has been forced to create new rules to keep up with the money flow. “There’s constant change and so you have to embrace that,” ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said. “For some, I think there’s a tug to go back and can’t we undo some of these things. And I think that’s counterproductive.”Realignment had slowed since the previous mass of conference swapping in the early 2010s, with a handful of schools moving to new leagues each year.
“We all grew up with the Pac-8, Pac-10, Pac-12, and to see it go away is something sad,” Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd said. “But I’m also excited for new horizons, so we’re not going to get sentimental about it. You and I can get sentimental at the end of the year and shed a tear, but now it’s business.”
The Big 12 will have 16 teams now that Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah are headed east. The Southeastern Conference also will be 16 teams with the additions of Texas and Oklahoma.