Pac-12 Announces Rule Changes With Intra-Conference Transfers

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – The Pac-12 Conference held their annual spring meetings at the conclusion of the 2018-19 athletic season and announced changes with intra-conference transfers, increased conference games in men’s basketball starting with the 2020-21 season, the financial results from the 2017-18 season and mental health services on campus.

The CEO Group voted to eliminate the “loss of a season” penalty for all student-athletes who transfer to another school within the Pac-12. The student-athlete still has to sit out one season but will not lose that season of their eligibility.

Former Ute Kylie Fitts was affected by this rule when he transferred to Utah from UCLA, losing a year of eligibility.

So can I get my year back that I had to sit out??

— Kylie Fitts (@K_Fitts11) May 20, 2019

On-Campus Mental Health Services

The conference announced to extend the annual $3.6 million of funding to the Student-Athlete Health and Well-Being Initiative for five years with a review of the program after three years. The CEO Group voted to significantly increase to $1.1 million annually the portion of funding to on-campus mental health services to provide more support.

The investment will be provided through the conference’s leading Student-Athlete Health and Well-Being Initiative directly to the 12 member schools and will go towards additional campus resource to directly support student-athletes in need.

The initiative was created in 2014 and has provided funding for research projects for its 12 member Universities for five years.

Non-Conference Schedule Requirements

On May 2, the conference announced that they will move the men’s basketball conference schedule from 18 games to 20 beginning with the 2020-21 season. On Monday, the CEO Group voted to introduce non-conference scheduling standards to enhance the Pac-12 men’s basketball non-conference schedule. The Pac-12 Council approved the following standards:

• A non-conference five-year trailing average of opponents’ NET ranking must be 175 or less.
• No participation in road buy games.
• No regular season games against non-Division I opponents.
• No road games versus a non-conference opponent with a five-year trailing average of 200 NET.

2017-18 Financial Results

The Pac-12 reported the financial performance from the financial year of 2017-18, with total revenues of $497 million and distributions of $354 million to the 12 schools. The average distribution is $29.5 million per member university.

The equity value of the Pac-12’s full ownership of the Pac-12 Networks was not included in the reported results.

“Supporting the academic and athletic missions of our member Universities, along with the health and well-being of our student-athletes, is our number one priority,” said Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott.  “We are pleased with our growth over the past several years, and are committed to maximizing value to serve this central purpose.  This includes through our media strategy under which we own and control our Pac-12 Networks and have aligned our ESPN and Fox deals with our Pac-12 Networks deals to be able to bring our full package of media rights to the market in 2024.”