Pac-12 commissioner lauds Las Vegas, sees bigger presence here
Standing at the podium onstage at Zouk nightclub, the room before him awash in blue light, Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff made his affection for Las Vegas known.
Kliavkoff spent several years in the city as president of sports and entertainment for MGM Resorts International before becoming Pac-12 commissioner in July 2021. Since then, he’s brought the conference’s football championship game to Allegiant Stadium and continued to hold the Pac-12 men’s and women’s basketball tournaments in Las Vegas.
On Friday, he hinted that is just the beginning of the Pac-12’s involvement in Southern Nevada.
“I think we’ll be bringing more stuff to Vegas,” Kliavkoff said.
Kliavkoff and the Pac-12 hosted the conference’s football media day at Resorts World Las Vegas on Friday. The event was previously hosted in Los Angeles, but was moved for this season possibly because of the upcoming departures of UCLA and Southern California to the Big Ten in 2024.
The commissioner spoke about several topics, including the Pac-12’s long-delayed media rights deal and the strength of the conference’s football competition for this season. Kliavkoff stated the remaining 10 teams are committed to the Pac-12, despite overtures from other conferences, namely the Big 12.
Kliavkoff also discussed his excitement for the Pac-12’s recent success in Las Vegas. He said the conference’s championship game at Allegiant Stadium between USC and Utah recorded the highest viewership numbers in the game’s history and was a sellout.
He added that Allegiant Stadium’s neutral setting, along with the other appeals Las Vegas has to offer for traveling fans, has made a continued presence in the city important for the Pac-12.
“I’m from Las Vegas,” Kliavkoff said. “I love Las Vegas. It’s been great for our fans and for our student-athletes.”
Kliavkoff isn’t alone in his assessment of the conference’s relationship with the city. Oregon State coach Jonathan Smith, who led his team to a 30-3 win against Florida in the 2022 Las Vegas Bowl, said the entire experience was well-organized. Smith also said the easy transportation to Las Vegas from almost anywhere in the Pac-12 makes it a good place to hold conference events.
“I think it only makes sense to do more and more out here,” Smith said.
Kliavkoff declined to comment about San Diego State’s ordeal with the Mountain West. The Aztecs announced their intention to depart the conference in mid-June, then backtracked when they reached June 30 without an offer to join another conference.
San Diego State was readmitted to the Mountain West this week, and likely won’t be able to join another conference until after the 2024-25 academic year because of the high exit fee required by the Mountain West for short-notice departure.
Kliavkoff said the Pac-12 hasn’t given any indication to any potential candidates that expansion will occur before the media rights deal is completed and the grant of rights is signed.
Contact reporter Andy Yamashita at ayamashita@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ANYamashita on Twitter.
