Story Poster
Photo by Pac-12 Conference

You Knew Shots Would Be Fired, Kliavkoff Gets His In and a Solid Solution to NIL

July 29, 2022
4,275

STILLWATER – Earlier Friday (July 29) the Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff finally fired back. Kliavkoff has been quiet since June 30 when USC and UCLA, members of the Pac-12 Conference for nearly a century, shocked college athletics, shocked their fellow conference members, and triggered another summer of college conference realignment talk and rumors by announcing they would be moving to the Big Ten Conference by the 2024-25 academic and athletic year. So much for “The Alliance” that was supposed to prevent the Big Ten, ACC, and Pac-12 from picking off schools from each other in expansion. The Big Ten may not be through, at least their commissioner Kevin Warren hinted as much earlier this week at the Big Ten Football Media Days in Indianapolis.

Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Yormark never metioned the Pac-12, just that his conference was “open for business.”

Kliavkoff and his conference have been wounded, but he spoke boldly saying his conference and the remaining schools are dedicated and committed to making the Pac-12 a viable Power Five league and he said the upcoming details of the already started process of negotiating a new multi-media rights deal for the Pac-12 would be proof.

He was more than willing to lob some verbal incendiaries back at the Big 12. I never heard new Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark take any shots at the Pac-12, but Yormark’s “open for business” comment combined with media rumors on top of media rumors was enough. Kliavkoff said he has had to waste time “trying to defend against grenades being lobbed in from every corner of the Big 12 trying to destabilize our remaining conference.”

Jenny Chuang Pac-12 Conference
Kliavkoff took his own shots at the value of the Big 12 just one summer after he tried to grab a pair of those same schools.

Then Kliavkoff got down to loading up the rocket launcher.

“With respect to the Big 12 being open for business, I appreciate that,” Kliavkoff said using Yormark’s words. “We haven’t decided whether we’re going shopping there or not.”

Nice comeback with the intent of devaluing the Big 12. Truth be known, and Kliavkoff knows it. He tried to get two Big 12 schools to come join the Pac-12 last summer after the Big 12 lost Oklahoma and Texas. Most media sources listed the two schools as Oklahoma State and TCU. Some had it as Texas Tech and TCU. The truth is the two schools were Oklahoma State and Kansas State. Kliavkoff, if he wants to be honest about it, wanted those two schools because they were examples of maximizing their football programs. Kliavkoff was concerned about some of the Pac-12 membership needing a push in that regard. USC and their administration was most adamant about not wanting any football examples from the heartland. First, good idea to listen to USC on expansion or not. Second, looks like the Trojans found their own individual to spur football success from the heartland.

Kliavkoff said he understood why the Big 12 was trying to poach Pac-12 schools because …“I get it. I get why they’re scared, why they’re trying to destabilize it. I was just tired of that. That’s probably not the most collegial thing I’ve ever said.”

He preferred to move back to his schools and why he is confident the conference will stick together.

“I wanted to exude confidence in the conference, because that’s what I’m seeing from our presidents and chancellors and athletic directors,” Kliavkoff said. “It’s my job to carry that message, and I’m happy to do so.”

On another subject, name-image-and-likeness, Kliavkoff was spot on. Everybody associated with college athletics should read this and push for this process to happen and work toward it happening as soon as possible.

“I believe it is time for the 10 FBS conferences to step in and agree to NIL legislation and a strong, effective and expeditious enforcement mechanism,” Kliavkoff stated. “All 10 conferences are strongly in favor of student-athletes being able to benefit from their NIL.

“We also need three simple and obvious guardrails: NIL should not be used as an inducement. NIL should not be used as pay-for-play,” Kliavkoff continued. “And the amount earned as NIL payments should be commiserated what the NIL provided and not a veiled inducement or pay-for-play. These are current NCAA rules that the NCAA has unfortunately chosen not to enforce in the wake of the Supreme Court decision in Alston. Recodifying and enforcing these three simple NIL rules will protect our student-athletes while still allowing them to earn.

“Second, it’s time for us to consider steps we can take to fairly recognize our student-athletes’ contributions and more appropriately allocate the resources created through athletics without fundamentally changing the role of our educational institutions. While I do not believe that our student-athletes should be treated as employees, we must recognize and meaningfully address the extraordinary ways in which they contribute to our athletic programs, campuses and communities.”

He then did more than state the problem and needed guardrails. He came back with a potential solution.

“One solution might be to consider whether to expand or remove the remaining caps on academic awards,” Kliavkoff stated. “Whatever solutions are considered, there are many reasons why treating student-athletes as employees would be detrimental. There could be a draft system, and athletes would lose the choice of which school to attend. They could lose their ability to transfer between schools. In fact, professional athletes are typically subject to trades or being fired for poor performance. It’s hard to imagine that professional athletes would be required or even allowed to attend school to earn degrees.”

He may have been asleep at the switch as fellow Alliance commissioner Kevin Warren picked his pocket, but Kliavkoff, in my opinion, has NIL under his thumb, if the rest are inclined to move forward with the Pac-12 commissioner.

Discussion from...

You Knew Shots Would Be Fired, Kliavkoff Gets His In and a Solid Solution to NIL

4,007 Views | 16 Replies | Last: 1 yr ago by CaliforniaCowboy
NJAggie
How long do you want to ignore this user?
What a joke that whole thing was. Half the AD's didn't show. The press never asked for any answers about the bad TV deal, the unequal revenue sharing, the Oregon AD's demand they go for a 3 year media deal, etc... All they did was throw up Big 12 questions for him to make quips about.

As far as I know the Big 12 hasn't contacted any of his schools unless they contacted the Big 12. If he had to attack and whine about tweeter posts from Big 12 fans, it shows just how bad it is over there.

Now the B1G has already taken 2 of his teams, and their commissioner said publicly he wanted to take more, but no comments about that.
Eclectic
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Exactly! I found it comical that he stated that everyone was being "collegial" except for the big 12 lobbing grenades to every corner of the pac 12 (after losing two teams to a conference they had an agreement with), and then the Stanford AD, when asked, stated that no one from the big 12 has contacted them.
Kliavkoff had to say something to make the conference sound strong and "inclusive". He used that word often, and it's a typical woke response. We're inclusive, but if you don't believe in what we believe...you're excluded.
At the end of the day, most realize that the pac 12 likely won't rebound from this.
TUSKAPOKE
How long do you want to ignore this user?
The B1G just picked your pocket and will probably take a few more of your teams when Notre Dame commits and you are worried about the Big 12? Enjoy adding San Diego State, Boise, Utah State and Colorado State to have a working conference.
GumbyFromPokeyLand
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Wow. His "alliance" partner stole his most valuable asset and has stated they are considering further thefts (clearly more of his assets are now targets) and he chooses to be silent on those matters. Instead, he chooses to cast aspersions at the league that was a victim of a larger theft last year and has now stated they're "open for business", while in the same breath goes on to say "he's shopping" for his league. Clearly he's still sucking up to the B1G while showing complete disdain for the B12 for undertaking the exact same exercise the PAC is now undertaking.

But here's the real insult. If he's carrying the torch for the PAC presidents, the presidents are scared of pissing off the B1G while the B1G is considering inviting more PAC schools, but have no problem pissing off the B12 that is considering inviting some PAC schools.

If I was Yormark, I would be tempted to put in a call to Ore and Wash with a reminder they are welcome in the B12 at a full share and equal footing with the other conference members unlike the B1G that's gonna treat you with less regard than the likes of Rutgers, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland and Purdue.
Joe Khatib
How long do you want to ignore this user?
NJAggie said:

What a joke that whole thing was. Half the AD's didn't show. The press never asked for any answers about the bad TV deal, the unequal revenue sharing, the Oregon AD's demand they go for a 3 year media deal, etc... All they did was throw up Big 12 questions for him to make quips about.

As far as I know the Big 12 hasn't contacted any of his schools unless they contacted the Big 12. If he had to attack and whine about tweeter posts from Big 12 fans, it shows just how bad it is over there.

Now the B1G has already taken 2 of his teams, and their commissioner said publicly he wanted to take more, but no comments about that.
Those ADs not showing up was a buried lede, tells you all is not well in PAC land!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joe Khatib
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Eclectic said:

Exactly! I found it comical that he stated that everyone was being "collegial" except for the big 12 lobbing grenades to every corner of the pac 12 (after losing two teams to a conference they had an agreement with), and then the Stanford AD, when asked, stated that no one from the big 12 has contacted them.
Kliavkoff had to say something to make the conference sound strong and "inclusive". He used that word often, and it's a typical woke response. We're inclusive, but if you don't believe in what we believe...you're excluded.
At the end of the day, most realize that the pac 12 likely won't rebound from this.
He is worried about the Big XII lobbing grenades yet says nothing when Warren and the BIG dropped a MOAB on them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
backphil
How long do you want to ignore this user?
It's Putin's fault!
NJAggie
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Today it got even more childish with his claims that all the Presidents are sending him all these texts from the Big 12 Presidents, and he's collecting them.

I guess next is he'll threaten to tell his big brother, Kevin Warren, so he will come and beat them up.
GumbyFromPokeyLand
How long do you want to ignore this user?
NJAggie said:

Today it got even more childish with his claims that all the Presidents are sending him all these texts from the Big 12 Presidents, and he's collecting them.

I guess next is he'll threaten to tell his big brother, Kevin Warren, so he will come and beat them up.


What he's doing and saying makes no sense. Hard to imagine the B1G will be the savior of their league. Right now, it's the B12 that's the only league that offers even a remote possibility of saving the PAC. So why piss off the very people you might find yourself across the negotiation table?
NJAggie
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Yeah when you get told to go on offense, and your TV rights negotiations are a gut punch, your two best properties are dying to leave and bullying the other members, and your big brother just announced last week he's coming for more of your schools. You ignore all the bad stuff and attack some speculation in the press, and the target of that speculation.

I'd say it really comes down to if what Dodds has heard is correct and their top prospect (if they can get it) is where the Big 12 prospects start. If that gap is more than $5M then you'll see schools considering their options.
GumbyFromPokeyLand
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Now the dude is gonna start losing the respect of other commissioners (if he hasn't already) with comments like the following:

"Doesn't it feel a little bit like a juvenile kind of attempt to disrupt our conference?… At some point you have to realize no Pac-12 school is joining the Big 12 and you have to focus on making your league successful."

Some reporter needs to pose the following: (1) Is Kevin Warren of the B1G juvenile? (2) You say it's juvenile to disrupt another conference. Does this mean your only expansion candidates are currently Independent?
Joe Khatib
How long do you want to ignore this user?
backphil said:

It's Putin's fault!
I agree, it is Sankey er, Putins fault!!!
NJAggie
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Frankly I prefer to see it as UT's fault. They're the ones that had to increase their revenue from #1 to more than #1 by moving to the SEC because they needed more money to be able to recruit.
CaliforniaCowboy
How long do you want to ignore this user?
NJAggie said:

Frankly I prefer to see it as UT's fault. They're the ones that had to increase their revenue from #1 to more than #1 by moving to the SEC because they needed more money to be able to recruit.
I thought UT's move to the SEC was to enhance their ability to win games, not improve recruiting rankings.

NJAggie
How long do you want to ignore this user?
Go talk to the UT fans. The Big XII ruined their recruiting, they couldn't even keep up with aTm. They needed the money and to be in the SEC to be able to recruit a team capable of winning anything.
CaliforniaCowboy
How long do you want to ignore this user?
NJAggie said:

Go talk to the UT fans. The Big XII ruined their recruiting, they couldn't even keep up with aTm. They needed the money and to be in the SEC to be able to recruit a team capable of winning anything.
LOL... that's as funny as what I wrote.

maybe the horns do not agree with the recruiting rankings either.... HA

almost makes me wonder how North Carolina was good recently.... (double ha, ha) silly horns
Refresh
Page 1 of 1
 
×
subscribe Verify your student status
See Subscription Benefits
Trial only available to users who have never subscribed or participated in a previous trial.