Larry Scott at the 2018 Pac-12 Media Days. Jul 25, 2018; Hollywood, CA, USA: Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott speaks during Pac-12 Media Day at Hollywood & Highland. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Pac-12 fans rejoice: the Larry Scott era is over (soon).

Michael Smith of Sports Business Journal was first to report that the Pac-12 conference and commissioner Larry Scott have agreed to part ways, effective June 30. The Pac-12 has since made an official announcement confirming the news on Wednesday night.

The Pac-12 Conference announced today that following ongoing discussions between its governing executive committee, its presidents and Commissioner Larry Scott, it was mutually agreed that the Commissioner would not seek a new contract.

Scott, 56, has served as the Pac-12 commissioner for the last 11 years. His contract was supposed to expire in 2022, and he’ll still be paid through June 2022, according to Smith.

The much-maligned Scott has faced enormous criticism over the years for the failures of the Pac-12 Network(s), which has had very limited availability since launching in 2012. The Pac-12 Network still doesn’t have a carriage deal with DirecTV, which means that the channel(s) can’t even be found at most sports bars in America.

The Pac-12 announced that the decision to part ways with Scott was accelerated “in part, to allow a new commissioner to be in place to negotiate and maximize the Conference’s next important long-term media rights agreement.” The conference has deals with ESPN and Fox that end in 2023-24.

The decision was made well in advance of next year’s contract expiration, in part, to allow a new commissioner to be in place to negotiate and maximize the Conference’s next important long-term media rights agreement.

So, while Scott may still technically be the Pac-12 commissioner into the summer, the wheels are in motion to get the new commissioner — whoever that may be — prepared to improve the conference’s television outlook.

The conference’s lack of success on the field — particularly with the big moneymaker, football — and on the court has also been a massive problem during Scott’s tenure, with the conference dropping further and further down the Power Five totem pole. But the lack of on-field success is surely directly related — at least to some level — to the lack of television exposure (this is a huge thing for recruiting, fan interest, you name it; and that all adds up).

The new commissioner will certainly have their hands full. But there’s likely nowhere to go but up in comparison to Scott’s tenure.

About Matt Clapp

Matt is an editor at The Comeback. He attended Colorado State University, wishes he was Saved by the Bell's Zack Morris, and idolizes Larry David. And loves pizza and dogs because obviously.

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