The Pac-12 and embattled commissioner George Kliavkoff have mutually agreed to part ways, the league announced Friday.
The Pac-12, which relies on Washington State and Oregon State after extensive conference realignment, said it will have more details on its new leadership next week.
Kliavkoff's last day will be February 29.
The move has been expected since last summer, when the Pac-12 disbanded after schools moved to other leagues because Kliavkoff couldn't negotiate a media rights deal they agreed to. In less than three years under his direction, USC and UCLA announced their intention to join the Big Ten, Washington and Oregon eventually followed, Cal and Stanford joined the ACC, and Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and Arizona State decided to join. to the Big 12. .
Last August, Kliavkoff presented the league's presidents and chancellors with a primarily subscription-based Apple streaming deal for its television contract that expires after this school year. It was a long process that frustrated many within the league and ultimately played a role in Colorado's decision to join the Big 12, a move that ignited others.
Oregon State and Washington State were in a legal battle with the 10 departing schools for control of the conference, with Kliavkoff, the conference and the University of Washington named as defendants.
Earlier this week, the Pac-12 Board of Directors issued a statement notifying the 10 schools that they were abandoning a leadership transition proposal with an “invitation to comment.” Kliavkoff reports to the Pac-12 board, which has been narrowed down to the presidents of the two remaining schools: Washington State's Kirk Schulz and Oregon State's Jayathi Murthy.
Washington State and Oregon State will operate as a two-team football conference for the next two seasons with a scheduling agreement with the Mountain West Conference. The league's basketball teams and many Olympic sports will play in the West Coast Conference.
Kliavkoff, who came to the league from MGM Resorts International, where he was president of entertainment and sports, was hired in May 2021 to replace Larry Scott.
