Big 12 poaching teams 'not a concern,' says Pac-12 commissioner - ESPN

LAS VEGAS — Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff said Friday that he's not concerned about the Big 12 trying to poach any teams, and that he hasn't engaged in any public debate over the narrative of uncertainty around the league because he knows «the truth.»

«It's not a concern,» he said at the Pac-12 media day, addressing the topic publicly for the first time this year. «Our schools are committed to each other and the Pac-12. We'll get our media rights deal done, we'll announce the deal. I think the realignment that's going on in college athletics will come to an end for this cycle.»

While the Pac-12 has remained silent on the topic until now, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark has been outspoken about his desire to add more teams if it makes sense and creates value for his conference. Kliavkoff hinted that any notion of his league's demise has come from the Big 12, saying he «kind of knows where the sources of that are coming from.»

«I discount that because I know the truth,» Kliavkoff said. «I could have spent all of last year getting into a he said-he said on every single rumor that's been passed about our conference. We decided to take the high road and focus on the future of the conference. That's why we haven't engaged.»

Kliavkoff said his bigger concern about not publicly defending the league was the impact it might have on recruiting, but it's «never been stronger.»

«That kind of reinforced out decision to not engage and say with the high road,» he said.

Last week, a Pac-12 source told ESPN the league's new media rights deal is likely to include a mix of streaming and linear options and is expected to be on-par with the ACC and Big 12. For the Pac-12 to stay intact after the departure of USC and UCLA to the Big