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In a letter offered to the College of California Board of Regents forward of a closed-door session Thursday to debate UCLA‘s proposed transfer to the Large Ten convention, Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff detailed “important issues” he had with the transfer, together with student-athlete psychological well being, elevated journey and operational prices, and detrimental impacts on each Cal’s income and the UC system’s local weather objectives.
Klivakoff’s letter was offered in response to a request from the regents for the convention’s perspective on UCLA’s transfer, in response to a supply.
“Regardless of all the reasons made after the very fact, UCLA’s determination to affix the Large Ten was clearly financially motivated after the UCLA athletic division managed to build up greater than $100 million in debt over the previous three fiscal years,” Kliavkoff wrote.
From there, he made the case the elevated income UCLA will obtain can be utterly offset by the elevated prices coming from elevated journey, the necessity for aggressive salaries inside the Large Ten and sport assure bills.
“UCLA at present spends roughly 8.1 million per 12 months on journey for its groups to compete within the Pac-12 convention,” Kliavkoff stated. “UCLA will incur a 100% improve in its workforce journey prices if it flies industrial within the Large Ten (8.1 million improve per 12 months), a 160% improve if it charters half the time ($13.1 million per 12 months), and a 290% % improve if it charters each flight ($23 million improve per 12 months).”
Kliavkoff didn’t cite how these figures had been calculated or point out if there was real perception that UCLA would contemplate constitution journey for groups apart from soccer and basketball.
In response to a supply acquainted with UCLA’s inside estimates about elevated journey price, the varsity is working with the expectation that it’ll spend roughly $6-10 million extra per 12 months on journey within the Large Ten vs. the Pac-12.
A transfer to the Large Ten, Kliavkoff speculated, would additionally result in UCLA spending extra on salaries to fall according to convention norms. He estimated UCLA would want to extend its athletic division salaries by roughly $15 million for UCLA to succeed in the common within the Large Ten.
“Any monetary beneficial properties UCLA will obtain by becoming a member of the Large Ten will find yourself going to airline and constitution firms, directors and coaches’ salaries, and different recipients somewhat than offering any further assets for student-athletes,” Kliavkoff stated.
A spokesperson for UCLA declined remark.
In an interview with the New York Occasions, U.C. President Michael V. Drake, who was beforehand the president at Ohio State, stated, “No selections. I believe everyone is amassing info. It is an evolving scenario.”
Past the monetary impression for UCLA, which is extensively understood to be the first driving think about UCLA’s transfer to the Large Ten, Kliavkoff stated it is going to additionally harm Cal, which, like UCLA, can be overseen by the UC system. With media rights negotiations ongoing, Kliavkoff stated it was troublesome to reveal the precise impression with out disclosing confidential info, however confirmed the convention is soliciting bids with and with out UCLA within the fold.
Past the monetary element of the added journey, Kliavkoff stated “revealed media analysis by the Nationwide Institutes of Well being, research carried out by the NCAA, and discussions with our personal student-athlete leaders,” could have a detrimental impression on student-athletes psychological well being and take away from their tutorial pursuits. He added that it will even be a burden for household and alumni to face cross-country journeys to see UCLA’s groups play.
Lastly, Kliavkoff stated added journey runs opposite to the UC system’s local weather coals and works towards UCLA’s dedication to “local weather neutrality” by 2025.