BAKER CITY HERALD • SATURDAY, JULY 2, 2022 A5
SPORTS
USC, UCLA to leave Pac-12 for Big Ten in 2024
The move makes
the Pac-12’s future
uncertain,
affecting Oregon
and Oregon State
Oregon’s future yet to be decided
BY RALPH D. RUSSO
AND ERIC OLSON
AP College Sports Writers
In a surprising and seismic
shift in college athletics, the
Big Ten voted Thursday, June
30 to add Southern Califor-
nia and UCLA as conference
members beginning in 2024.
The expansion to 16 teams
will happen after the Pac-12’s
current media rights contracts
with Fox and ESPN expire
and make the Big Ten the first
conference to stretch from the
Atlantic to the Pacific.
The announcement, which
caught the Pac-12 off-guard,
came almost a year after Okla-
homa and Texas formally ac-
cepted invitations to join the
Southeastern Conference in
July 2025.
Big Ten Commissioner
Kevin Warren said USC and
UCLA, both members of the
Pac-12 and its previous iter-
ations for nearly a century,
submitted applications for
membership and the league’s
Council of Presidents and
Chancellors voted unani-
mously to add the Los Angeles
schools.
Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times-TNS, File
UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson hurdles high over USC
safety Chase Williams, left, and cornerback Isaac Taylor-Stuart as he
scores a touchdown on the play in the fourth quarter at Los Angeles
Memorial Coliseum, in Los Angeles, on Nov. 20, 2021.
“Ultimately, the Big Ten is
the best home for USC and
Trojan athletics as we move
into the new world of colle-
giate sports,” USC athletic
director Mike Bohn said.
“We are excited that our val-
ues align with the league’s
member institutions. We
also will benefit from the
stability and strength of the
conference; the athletic cal-
iber of Big Ten institutions;
the increased visibility, ex-
posure, and resources the
conference will bring our
student-athletes and pro-
grams; and the ability to ex-
pand engagement with our
passionate alumni nation-
wide.”
The Big Ten is building on
previous expansion into the
nation’s largest media markets,
and the move allows the con-
ference to keep pace with the
SEC as one of the most power-
ful entities in college sports.
The Big Ten will gain blue-
blood programs in football
(USC) and basketball (UCLA)
and big-name brands that
will enhance the value of the
conference’s new media rights
package currently being ne-
gotiated.
Losing flagship schools like
USC and UCLA is a major
EUGENE — UCLA and USC heading to the Big Ten, the future of
the Pac-12 is in doubt and Oregon’s place in the looming shuffle is
unclear.
Will the Ducks remain in the Pac-12? Will they join the Los Ange-
les schools and bolt to the Big Ten?
Asked for a response to reports about UCLA and USC and
whether University of Oregon president Michael Schill has engaged
in talks with Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren or anyone else in
that conference for Oregon to do the same, a UO spokeswoman told
The Oregonian/OregonLive there was, “Nothing to add at this point.”
Later Thursday afternoon, June 30, a UO athletics spokesman re-
plied with the same message in response to whether Oregon ath-
letic director Rob Mullens has engaged in conversations with War-
ren or the Big Ten.
The Pac-12’s grant of rights expires on Aug. 1, 2024, with UCLA
and USC officially joining the Big Ten the next day. Multiple reports
suggest the conference could be looking to expand to more than
16 teams.
Schill’s two-year term as chair of the Pac-12’s executive commit-
tee comes to an end on Thursday.
— oregonlive.com
blow to the Pac-12, which has
had a long and amicable rela-
tionship with the Big Ten best
exemplified by its Rose Bowl
partnership.
“While we are extremely
surprised and disappointed by
the news coming out of UCLA
and USC today, we have a long
and storied history in athlet-
ics, academics, and leadership
in supporting student-athletes
that we’re confident will con-
tinue to thrive and grow into
the future,” the Pac-12 said in
a statement.
The Pac-12’s next move is
unknown, but adding schools
to replace USC and UCLA is a
possibility.
“We look forward to part-
nering with current and po-
tential members to pioneer
the future of college athletics
together,” the Pac-12 said.
The Big Ten has expanded
twice in recent years, with Ne-
braska joining in 2011 and
Maryland and Rutgers in
2014.
USC and UCLA fit the Big
Ten’s academic profile. Both
schools are among the 65
members of the Association of
American Universities, which
is made up of top research uni-
versities. All Big Ten schools
except Nebraska are members.
“From increased exposure
and a broader national plat-
form for our student-athletes,
to enhanced resources for our
teams, this move will help pre-
serve the legacy of UCLA Ath-
letics for generations to come,”
UCLA athletic director Mar-
tin Jarmond said.
“We have deeply valued our
membership in the Pac-12,
and we have great respect for
the conference and our fellow
member institutions, but each
school faces its own unique
challenges and circumstances.
We believe this is the right
move for UCLA at the right
time.”
USC and UCLA stand to
significantly increase their
revenues. The Pac-12 distrib-
uted only $19.8 million per
school in fiscal year 2021, by
far the least among Power 5
conferences. The Big Ten’s per-
school distribution was $46.1
million, second only to the
SEC’s $54.6 million.
The Pac-12 has had diffi-
culty getting its conference
television network untracked
while the Big Ten Network
See Big Ten / A6
Blazers agree to $28 million deal with Gary Payton II
BY AARON FENTRESS
oregonlive.com
PORTLAND — The first day NBA
teams could begin negotiating with
free agents almost came and went
Thursday, June 30 with the Portland
Trail Blazers reportedly finalizing just
one deal.
But later Thursday night, hours after
agreeing to a contract extension with
Anfernee Simons, the Blazers agreed
to a three-year deal with guard Gary
Payton II that will pay him $28 mil-
lion, a source confirmed to The Ore-
gonian/OregonLive.
Shams Charania of The Athletic
first reported the news.
Payton, 29, the son of Oregon State
legend Gary Payton, adds backcourt
depth and versatility as a defender.
Payton II, who also played at Oregon
State, averaged 7.1 points in 17.6 min-
utes per game for the Warriors during
their run to the NBA title.
The Blazers, as expected, signed
guard Simons to a four-year, $100
million contract extension soon af-
ter things began popping around the
league at 3 p.m. The Blazers retaining
Simons, a restricted free agent, was a
virtual given and the franchise didn’t
even wait to allow one team to sign the
2018 first-round pick to an offer sheet.
After that, all was quiet on the Blaz-
ers’ front until the news about Payton
hit.
The 6-foot-3 Payton is a great suc-
cess story. He had a stellar career with
the Beavers but went undrafted in
2016. He played summer league with
Houston that year and appeared in six
preseason games before being waived
in October, 2016. He then appeared
in 18 regular-season games over two
seasons with Milwaukee (2016-2018)
before playing 11 games with the LA
Lakers (2017-18) and then 32 over
two seasons with Washington (2018-
2020). Two seasons ago he caught on
with Golden State and saw action in
10 games.
Last season, Payton II’s career took
off and he became a valuable player off
the bench for the Warriors. During the
NBA Finals against Boston, Payton av-
eraged 7.0 points and 3.2 rebounds off
the bench.
The Blazers’ starting backcourt will
consist of Simons and Damian Lillard.
Payton is versatile enough and defen-
New golf tour tees off in Oregon amid criticism
BY ANNE M. PETERSON
Associated Press
NORTH PLAINS — The
Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf
tour’s second event teed off
Thursday, June 30 near Port-
land, angering a group of fam-
ilies who lost loved ones on
Sept. 11 and want the Saudi
government held to account
for the terrorist attacks.
About 10 family members
and survivors spoke at a small
park honoring veterans in tiny
North Plains, home to Pump-
kin Ridge Golf Club.
“This event is nothing more
than a group of very talented
athletes who appear to have
turned their backs on the
crime of murder,” said sur-
vivor Tim Frolich, who was
injured in the collapse of the
World Trade Center towers.
The LIV Golf series, funded
by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign
wealth fund, was making its
first stop on American soil this
week after a debut this month
outside of London.
Carlos Ortiz took the lead
Thursday with a 5-under 67.
Dustin Johnson, the 2020
Masters winner, was a shot
back. Pat Perez, Brenden
Grace and Hideto Tadihara
were two shots off the lead.
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
Moreno scores twice,
Timbers hold off Dynamo
“You need to get off to a
good start and obviously stay
with it because there’s no real
letting up,” Perez said about
the 54-hole format. “Every
shot, I think, means a little bit
more.”
The upstart series, fronted
by CEO Greg Norman, aims
to challenge the PGA Tour
and has lured players with big
signing bonuses and rich prize
purses. But critics call the tour
an attempt at “sportswashing”
to detract from Saudi Arabia’s
human rights abuses, includ-
ing the murder of U.S.-based
journalist Jamal Khashoggi in
2018.
Locally, opponents point to
the 2016 hit-and-run death of
15-year-old Fallon Smart. The
Saudi national accused in the
case cut off a monitoring de-
vice shortly before his trial and
vanished. U.S. officials believe
he was spirited home by the
Saudi government.
And then there’s the Sept.
11 families, who have reached
out to some of the individual
golfers involved in the tour but
have not been granted an au-
dience. The group produced
an ad that has run on local
television.
“These golfers that are get-
ting in bed with the Saudis,
they should know what they’re
doing. Shame on them. And
to the golfers that say it’s just a
game of golf: Shame on them,”
said Brett Eagleson, the head
of the group 9/11 Justice, who
lost his father at the World
Trade Center. “I invite them to
live with the pain in our eyes,
hear our stories and walk in
our shoes, hear what we have
to say about the kingdom of
Saudi Arabia.”
At Pumpkin Ridge there
was a noticeable police and
security presence, including
officers at the front gate. There
were rumors of a designated
protest area in one of the park-
ing lots, but no one was sure
where it was. Tickets to the
event warned fans could not
display political signs.
Phil Mickelson, a six-time
major winner and a top draw
on the tour, had one of the
bigger galleries on opening
day. He was playing in a group
with Charl Schwartzel, who
lost his ball on his first drive of
the day. Fans along the fairway
said they believed it landed in
a tree.
“In this area there aren’t
many chances to see these
guys in person,” spectator Will
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BY ANNE M. PETERSON
Associated Press
PORTLAND — Santi-
ago Moreno scored a pair
of goals in the space of two
minutes in the first half and
the Portland Timbers hung
on to beat the Houston Dy-
namo 2-1 on Wednesday
night, June 29.
Darwin Quintero scored a
second-half goal for the Dy-
namo, who have not won in
Portland since 2011.
“We had a amazing first
half. And then we have to
always make it hard for our-
selves. You know, we are our
own worst enemy,” Portland
goalkeeper Aljaz Ivacic said.
“Instead of putting (the)
game away 3-0 or 4-0, it was
2-1 and then we struggled
at the end. But the most im-
portant is that we got the win
and that’s it.”
Yimmi Chara was brought
See Timbers / A6
TICKETS AVAILABLE AT THE GATE
Knowles said. “I’m staying out
of the politics.”
Because the event was
played on two courses, it was
difficult to get a handle on
crowd sizes and LIV Golf did
not disclose attendance fig-
ures.
For golfers, part of LIV
Golf’s allure is the money. In
addition to sizable signing
bonuses, the 48-man field is
competing for a $20 million
purse, with an additional $5
million prize fund for a team
competition. Schwartzel won
the London event (and team
portion) and made $4.75 mil-
lion.
There’s no cut and even the
last-place finisher earns a pay-
day of $120,000. Organizers
promise exciting events they
say will attract new fans: With
a shotgun start and Rihanna
blaring out of a massive sound
system near the putting green,
the tournament indeed had a
different vibe.
In addition to Mickelson,
who shot a 75, fellow ma-
jors winners Johnson, Brooks
Koepka (70) and Bryson De-
Chambeau (72) have also
joined LIV — which rhymes
with “give” — and plays on the
Roman numerals for 54.
sive-minded enough to see time at
point guard, shooting guard and small
forward.
Payton II had a defensive rating of
102.3 last season and 101.1 the prior
season.
Adding another guard, especially of
the 6-3 variety, is a bit puzzling. The
Blazers also have the 6-5 Josh Hart on
the roster. He plays shooting guard
and small forward. The 6-5 Nassir Lit-
tle will also be in the mix at small for-
ward. Then there is 6-6 rookie guard
Shaedon Sharpe, selected with the No.
7 pick in last week’s NBA draft.
DISTRICT 3 LITTLE LEAGUE ALL-STAR
BASEBALL TOURNAMENT
Contributed Photo
Baker’s minor boys all-star baseball team finished second in the
District 3 tournament at Burns on June 30, 2022.
Baker takes 2nd at
district tournament
Baker City Herald
BURNS — Baker’s mi-
nors boys all-star baseball
team came up one game
short at the District 3 Lit-
tle League tournament in
Burns, losing 19-3 to Co-
lumbia in the champion-
ship game on Thursday,
June 30.
Columbia forced a win-
ner-takes-all game with a
20-8 win over previously
unbeaten Baker earlier in
the day.
Baker’s roster includes
Soren Kaaen, Emmett
Petrucci, Wyatt Han-
sen, Ryker Davis, Welker
Benson, Easton Ashby,
Turner Jobes, Hoyt Bach-
man, Ryker Albert, Ste-
ven Kaesemeyer, Nolan
Simpson, Jace Svedin and
Kai Barr. Kris Davis is the
team’s manager.
Three other Baker all-
star teams also placed sec-
ond at the district tour-
nament — majors girls
softball, junior girls soft-
ball, and junior boys base-
ball.