Conference realignment ‘happened because of money,’ UCLA head basketball coach says

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As the 2023 college football season rapidly approaches, the conversations around college athletics have largely focused on conference realignment due to the seismic moves made in the past several weeks. 

The Pac-12 is on the verge of collapse as eight schools will depart the conference after the 2023-24 seasons. 

General view of action on the field with the mid-field logo during the Pac-12 Conference championship game between the Utah Utes and the USC Trojans on December 2, 2022, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Jeff Speer/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Oregon and Washington will join the Big Ten while Colorado, Arizona, Arizona State and Utah will head to the Big 12. 

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The moves come roughly a year after UCLA and USC announced their intention to leave the Pac-12 for the Big Ten. 

For UCLA head basketball coach Mick Cronin, the decisions to change conferences all came down to money. 

"The problem is, the public doesn’t understand the scope of why it’s all even happening," Cronin told reporters Thursday. "The public thinks right now that I have the 12 guys on scholarship, and they go to UCLA for free. They don’t realize the athletic department at UCLA has 25 sports and 700 kids on scholarships that they have to pay the university for those scholarships. That, right there, 99% of the people do not know that." 

Head coach Mick Cronin of the UCLA Bruins reacts after a dunk by Amari Bailey against the Arizona Wildcats was discounted for an offensive foul in the first half of the championship game of the Pac-12 basketball tournament