One Oregon representative is calling for a legislative panel to look at and “understand the unintended consequences of Oregon’s potential move away from the Pac-12. That comes on the heels of Friday’s report that the Ducks — along with Washington — are expected to leave the league to join the Big Ten.

According to a Friday statement, Oregon representative Shelly Boshart is worried that state taxpayers “could be at risk” with the future of the Pac-12 currently uncertain. Boshart called for House Speaker Dan Rayfield to convene a legislative panel to take a look at the unintended consequences.

“As a graduate of Oregon State and as a representative of a district that houses many OSU students, I am deeply concerned about the impacts on our state university system if the University of Oregon decides to leave the Pac-12,” writes Boshart. “There are many unanswered questions about what these moves mean for Oregonians beyond just the end of one of the nation’s longest-running rivalry football games. If one of our major universities is going to make a unilateral decision that could impact Oregon’s budget, we should at least understand the full impacts. At the most, the people’s representatives should have a say.”

Boshart went on to express concerns of increased travel costs if Oregon moves to the Big Ten. She also cited worries about a depleted Pac-12 impacted Oregon State’s revenue while claiming “it’s hard to imagine how the Beavers will make up lost revenue.”

Can an Oregon move be stopped?

While there may be concerns about a move, it is unlikely state legislators would be able to completely stop a move to the Big Ten. Some of the concerns that Boshart expressed are similar to ones that UCLA had to address after announcing the Bruins would be moving to the league beginning in 2024.

At the end of the day, UCLA found a way to move past those issues and clear a path to the Big Ten. We’ll see if the Ducks are able to clear those hurdles in similar fashion.