By Emma Schmalz
The Maryland Terrapins went up against the UCLA Bruins in men’s basketball on Dec. 14 at home in the Xfinity Center. Since UCLA’s announcement to leave the Pac-12 Conference and join the Big Ten Conference in 2024, there have been mixed feelings among fans and students.
Ramogi Huma, former UCLA football player and Executive Director of the National College Players Association, requested that the members of the UC Board of Regents reconsider UCLA’s move to the Big Ten in a public letter released to the media and on social media platforms.
“A UCLA move to the Big Ten undermines UCLA’s educational mission. 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,” Huma wrote in his letter.
He also mentioned multiple negative mental health repercussions, racial exploitation of Black male athletes and more monetary issues.
Putting athletes into a larger conference “undermines the athletic aspirations of the UCLA community – the athletes, campus community, the fans, and even the coaches,” the letter read. Huma predicts that coaches with a lower chance of winning championships will be fired more often, which will take even more money away from athletic programs.
“Not all money is good money,” according to Huma.
Ricky Podgorski, a crew member for the Big 10 Student U and current sophomore, sees both the pros and cons of UCLA joining a new league.
“I think for the Big Ten, bringing such a notable team into the conference is going to make competition and recruiting that much better,” Podgorski said. “On the contrary, I see the negatives of having UCLA and USC make the move into the Big Ten. You’re packing an already super competitive conference with two athletic powerhouses.”
Podgorski was excited to attend the game in person. Student tickets for the UCLA game were sold out, according to @TerrapinHoops on Twitter.
Oliver Schaack, a sophomore journalism major from Los Angeles, has friends in the athletic departments at UMD and UCLA.
“I have friends at both schools and friends who are athletes at both schools, so it’ll be fun to see them compete against the Terps,” Schaak said.
Schaack was caught off guard by the teams’ decision to leave their original league in the first place.
“I was shocked because I thought UCLA and USC would never leave the Pac-12 for logistical reasons, but the move makes sense for all those involved.”
UCLA and USC are both set to join the Big Ten officially on Aug. 2, 2024. Both schools have been a part of the Pac-12 league since the 1920s. This announcement also followed the Big Ten’s recently completed multi-billion dollar media rights agreement with the television networks Fox, CBS and NBC.
Featured Image: University of Maryland’s XFINITY Center, home of Maryland’s Basketball team, on Dec. 12, 2022. Photo by Emma Schmalz.