Group pushes regents to block UCLA move to Big Ten

A college athlete advocacy group is urging University of California regents to block UCLA’s planned move to the Big Ten Conference, citing the toll additional travel will have on athletes’ academic performance and mental health, among other factors.

In a letter addressed to the regents and dated Wednesday, National College Players Association executive director Ramogi Huma described the school’s proposed move to the Big Ten as a “short-sighted money grab.” He also argued that the move will disproportionately impact Black athletes.

The board of regents is expected to rule on the potential move this week.

“A UCLA move to the Big Ten undermines UC’s educational mission,” Huma wrote in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by USA TODAY Sports. “No matter how much money is generated, UCLA cannot spend its way out of increased travel times for its athletes that will directly reduce UCLA athletes’ ability to keep up with their academics and complete their degree.”

UCLA announced in June that it would be leaving the Pac-12 for the Big Ten in 2024, along with fellow West Coast powerhouse Southern California.

The schools have said the move will bring added stability and national media exposure, though the most substantial benefits would be financial. According to tax records, the Big Ten distributed $48.9 million to each of its member schools during the 2021 fiscal year, while the Pac-12 distributed about $19.8 million. The Big Ten has since signed a new rights deal worth a reported average of more than $1 billion a year.

While USC is a private school and can switch conferences at its leisure, UCLA must first receive approval from the UC board of regents. UC general counsel Charles Robinson confirmed at a meeting this fall that the regents have the authority to block the move.

One significant concern among board members is that UCLA’s move would have a negative financial impact on Cal, as the system’s flagship school is staying in the Pac-12. Travel is another, as the Big Ten’s current member schools are in the Midwest and East Coast.

Huma noted in his letter that, according to a Pac-12 survey, the average conference athlete dedicates 50 hours per week to their sport during the season – a figure that would surely go up with the addition of cross-country flights.