REPORTS: Ex-Pac-12 Official Shares Brutally Shocking Condemnation Of Leadership For Conference’s Failures

Former Pac-12 referee David Yeast sympathizes with those who lost their jobs due to the conference’s decline, but he holds no sympathy for the commissioners and leaders who allowed it to happen over the past few decades.

“I’ve always valued the Pac-12,” Yeast told CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd. “It was once known as the conference of champions. It has lost its luster. The leadership, I believe, failed. This includes not only Larry Scott and George Kliavkoff… Our officials suffered as a result.”

Bill Carollo, supervisor of officials for the Big Ten, likened the situation of Pac-12 officials losing their jobs to layoffs at a Fortune 500 company due to ineffective, overpaid leadership.

“It was devastating,” Carollo remarked, adding, “It wasn’t the officials’ fault. They were simply victims of circumstances. It was akin to a Fortune 500 business shutting down.”

The Pac-12’s downfall, attributed to its lack of a robust TV contract compared to the Big Ten, Big 12, and ACC, led to teams defecting to other conferences like the Big 12. Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and ASU sought better TV exposure and financial benefits, mirroring other programs opting for the Big Ten’s superior revenue distribution.

With the Pac-12 having a limited window to revive itself as a viable conference, there’s skepticism about the desire of Oregon State and Washington State to participate in such a revival. Given the mismanagement that led to its decline, there’s little incentive for these programs to actively contribute to resurrecting the conference.