For about a year, George Kliavkoff cut an unruffled image as the Pac-12 Conference’s new commissioner.
“Dozens” of universities, he said last summer, reached out about joining the league that calls itself the “Conference of Champions.” A partnership among the Pac-12, the Big Ten and the Atlantic Coast conferences did not need a contract but would thrive on “an agreement among three gentlemen.” Just last month, Kliavkoff told The Oregonian that he was “absolutely not” worried about losing members.
The Pac-12 spent Friday, the first anniversary of Kliavkoff’s tenure, in crisis anyway.