Report: Phil Knight working to get Oregon into new conference

The Pac-12 appears to be on the verge of a collapse, and one of the most powerful boosters in the country does not want his school to wait around for that to happen.

With the recent news that UCLA and USC are leaving the Pac-12 to join the Big Ten as early as 2024, billionaire Phil Knight has been searching for a new home for Oregon, his alma mater. According to Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports, Knight is so desperate to find a new conference for the Ducks that he has been “reduced to cold-calling telemarketer.”

Knight has reportedly been “working the phones” to see if there is an opportunity for Oregon to join either the SEC or Big Ten. The Big 12 is said to have interest in adding Oregon, but Knight would obviously prefer for the Ducks to join a conference that will be adding major programs. The Big 12 is set to lose Oklahoma and Texas to the SEC in 2025.

Oregon and Washington are viewed as the two best programs that are now searching for new homes. However, Dodd was told by sources that neither school would be viewed as a massive score in terms of marketability. That is likely where Knight, the co-founder of Nike, and his $40 billion-deep pockets come into play.