Merced, Calif. – UCLA could pay the University of California at Berkeley $10 million a year for three years instead of six as a result of the Bruins’ impending move to the Big Ten and the demise of the Pac-12.
The University of California Board of Regents’ special committee on athletics voted 7-1 at a meeting Tuesday at UC Merced to reduce the length of the payment. UC President Michael Drake recommended six years in a report that went to the meeting.
The matter — nicknamed “slander” by UCLA and Cal supporters — will come up for a vote by the full Board of Regents on Thursday.
If there is a significant change in revenue and/or expenditures for any school, exceeding the 2024-25 projection of more than 10%, UCLA’s contribution may be reevaluated by the Regents.
To secure UCLA’s move to the Big Ten by the Regents in December 2022, the university agreed to pay UC Berkeley between $2 million and $10 million because of how the move would affect the Cal athletic program.
Cal agreed to join the Atlantic Coast Conference last year after the Pac-12 couldn’t negotiate a media deal, leaving eight of its members.
In addition to increased travel costs, Cal’s share of the ACC’s media rights deal will be reduced.
According to a report from UC’s president, the difference between UCLA’s annual media rights distribution from the Big Ten and UC Berkeley’s share from the ACC will be about $50 million per year.
UCLA and the University of Southern California announced on June 30, 2022 that they were leaving the Pac-12 for the Big Ten. USC is private and not part of the UC system.
The regents became involved shortly after the announcement when Democratic governor Gavin Newsom criticized UCLA’s move because Chancellor Gene Block and athletic director Martin Germond did not give the regents advance notice.
In 1991, campus chancellors were delegated authority by the UC Office of the President to execute their own agreements, including intercollegiate athletic agreements. But the regents heard at an August 2022 meeting that they retain the power to review decisions affecting the UC system, meaning they can confirm, overturn or refrain from following UCLA’s decisions.
Regents voted four months later to allow the measure to go forward. In addition to paying its sister school, UCLA has agreed to make more investments for athletes, including nutritional support, mental health services, academic support during travel and charter flights to reduce travel time.
