Larry Scott’s 11-year term as commissioner of Pac-12 will end in June, the conference announced Wednesday night.
In a statement, the conference said Scott will remain in office until June 30 and will assist in the transition.
His current contract would expire in June 2022.
“We appreciate Larry’s pioneering efforts in growing the conference, adding new competitive university programs and accelerating the Pac-12 to parity the television network with the other conferences,” said University of Oregon President Michael Schill, President of Pac -12 CEO Group. “At one point, our television deal was the most profitable in the country and the debut of the Pac-12 Network helped deliver our champion brand to the U.S. and global markets on traditional and digital platforms.
“That said, the intercollegiate athletics market is not static and now is a good time to bring in a new leader who will help us develop our strategy for advancement.”
An executive committee that includes Washington State President Kirk Schulz, Washington President Ana Mari Cauce and Schill will conduct the search for his replacement.
“I have been in professional sport for 20 years, now I have been in college athletics for over 10 years and now is a great time in my life to look for other exciting opportunities,” said Scott in a statement. “Right now, when university athletics is moving in a new direction and with the Conference soon starting the next round of negotiations with the media, it seems like the right time to make a change.
“It is important that the conference is able to define the person who will negotiate and execute the next agreement. Based on the recent robust assessment and market interest we have received from traditional and non-traditional media organizations, I am confident that the conference is doing well positioned for continued success. I appreciate the support of the member institutions of Pac-12 and a very talented team, with whom I had the privilege to work. “
Scott, 56, was hired as commissioner for the then Pac-10 in July 2009, after previously serving as president and CEO of the Women’s Tennis Association. During his tenure, the conference expanded to include Utah and Colorado in 2011 and added a championship football game. These additions helped secure a $ 3 billion, 12-year media rights agreement with Fox and ESPN that set the standard for college sports at the time. Pac-12 also agreed to match revenue sharing for the first time under the new agreement.
But its time will be largely defined by the launch of the Pac-12 Network in 2012.
Scott hoped that, given the conference the total ownership of the network, this would position schools to profit greatly from a changing media landscape, less dependent on traditional TV networks. It never worked. Although Pac-12 revenues have steadily increased in recent years – the conference distributed more than $ 32 million per school after the 2018-19 school year – its members are still behind the Big Ten ($ 55 million per school) and SEC ($ 45 million per school), which has partnered with Fox and ESPN, respectively.
Scott was also criticized for moving Pac-12 offices from Walnut Creek, California, to San Francisco, which increased operating costs. He was the highest-paid conference commissioner, with $ 5.4 million for 2019-20, according to USA Today.
Under Scott’s leadership, the conference remained a powerhouse in several sports, but its success in football and men’s basketball was limited. No Pac-12 team has won a national title in any of the sports and only one – Oregon in 2017 – made it to the Men’s Final Four.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.