Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff is visiting with SMU on Wednesday, per college football insider Brett McMurphy.
SMU and San Diego State are currently the top candidates to join the Pac-12 in an upcoming expansion.
The Pac-12 needs to add new members after the impending departures of USC and UCLA. The conference needs more inventory to support a new media rights deal, which is expected to rely heavily on digital streaming services.
Pac-12 commish George Kliavkoff visiting SMU Wednesday, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ. San Diego State & SMU are top Pac-12 expansion candidates. Pac-12 needs more members & more inventory for new media rights deal, which is expected to rely heavily on digital streaming services
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) February 8, 2023
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SMU has been part of the American Athletic Conference since 2012. The Mustang are set to be a part of the conference’s first ever 14-team format through the 2023 season after the addition of six news teams.
San Diego State has been a member of the Mountain West Conference since 2000.
Kliavkoff has reiterated multiple times that the conference’s upcoming media rights deal comes first, but this visit to SMU may indicate a need to add some new members before that gets done.