Pac-12 football: Our deep dive into attendance trends for the 12 legacy schools, before and after realignment

[AZProgressive]

Back in the roiling summer of 2022, UCLA officials leaned into the opportunity to boost home attendance as one of several reasons for leaving the Pac-12 and joining the Big Ten. After all, the Bruins would play three or four home games per year against midwestern schools with thousands of alumni in Southern California. They would leap at the chance to see their favorite team in person and help fill the half-vacant Rose Bowl.

But two years into the new era, the situation hasn’t unfolded as the Bruins hoped. In fact, their home attendance has declined since leaving the Pac-12.

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— The 10 departed schools increased attendance by an average of 982 fans per game in the two post-realignment seasons compared to their final two years in the Pac-12.

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— The largest increase, by far, came from Arizona State (6,023 per game), which rose from nowhere to claim the Big 12 championship in 2024.

https://www.pressdemocrat.com/2026/01/17/pac-12-attendance-football-realignment/

This article is a couple weeks ago but came across it while searching for info on the new Pac 12 for next season but this is more about the old. For more relevant info on the future I found this:

A new western order, as we all evolve with the new Mountain West & Pac-12

There is no way to sugarcoat it: college athletics out West will feel different next season on and off the field, especially for our passionate sports writing crew at MWCConnection.

(snip)

Familiar rivalries will be reframed, travel maps redrawn, and long-held assumptions about where the Mountain West ends and the Pac-12 begins will be tested in real-time.

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As the Pac-12 re-emerges in 2026 with a retooled membership and the Mountain West pivots into its own reshaped identity, both conferences enter “Year One” not as adversaries, but as leagues trying to prove something slightly different about the future of college sports in the West.

(snip)

If there is one certainty heading into next season, it’s that the Mountain West and Pac-12 will no longer be defined solely by what they lost, but by what they choose to build next. And in a college sports landscape increasingly defined by uncertainty, that may be the most important step of all.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/college-sports/a-new-western-order-as-we-all-evolve-with-the-new-mountain-west-pac-12/ar-AA1VgjzV

[chicoescuela]

1. PAC 12 will be the A team from the Mountain West conference.

and the new Mountain West will be a bunch of really crappy football teams. It won’t be pretty for the new MW conference. Attendance was already bad except for Boise and Fresno State.

[msongs]

2. article at link would be improved by listing what teams are where nt

[AZProgressive]

3. Off the top of my head

USC, UCLA, Oregon, & Washington left the former Pac 12 for the Big Ten. Utah, Colorado, Arizona State, Arizona left for the Big 12. Cal & Stanford left for the ACC.

Oregon State & Washington State never left and will be joined with teams that left the Mountain West such as Boise State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Utah State, and Colorado State. Texas State will come from the Sun Belt Conference. They will all be official members after July 2026.

The Mountain West will consist of their existing members but I think UTEP from Conference USA and also Grand Canyon (which is in Phoenix) University will join the Mountain West to fill the gap of lost team though not sure if Grand Canyon will play football as they are more known for basketball. Both GCU and UTEP will also be official members of the Mountain West after July 2026.