If Sacramento State joins PAC-12, Kings say basketball teams can play at Golden 1 Center

FOR A PROPOSED NEW STADIUM AT SACRAMENTO STATE TOMORROW. THIS IS ALL PART OF THE UNIVERSITY’S PUSH TO JOIN A BIGGER CONFERENCE LIKE THE PAC 12. AND TONIGHT, THE UNIVERSITY COULD BE GETTING SOME HELP FROM THE KINGS TO MAKE ITS CASE. KCRA 3’S ANDRES VALLE JOINS US LIVE FROM THE GOLDEN ONE CENTER TONIGHT. SO WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THIS? WELL, THE KINGS ARE SAYING THAT THEY’RE GOING TO ALLOW SACRAMENTO STATE TO PLAY AT THE GOLDEN ONE CENTER RIGHT HERE. THAT’S IF THE SCHOOL GETS INTO THE PAC 12. AND IF THEY DO, THAT MEANS THE HORNETS COULD CALL THE GOLDEN ONE, CENTER THEIR HOME AND BE PLAYING DOWN HERE IN DOWNTOWN BY NEXT YEAR. WE ARE SUPER GRATEFUL TO VIVEK AND THE KINGS TODAY FOR THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND GIVING SAC STATE A PLACE TO PLAY. AN ANNOUNCEMENT LIKE NO OTHER FOR JOSH WOOD. HE’S THE CO-CHAIR OF THE PAC 12, A COMMITTEE OF SEVERAL SACRAMENTO AREA LEADERS WHO WANT TO GET SACRAMENTO STATE INTO THE PAC 12 CONFERENCE. THE KINGS STEPPED UP THAT STEPPED UP AGAIN FOR SACRAMENTO AND NOW WE HAVE THIS PATHWAY TO REALLY BEING IN THE PAC 12, BECAUSE WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A PLACE TO PLAY BASKETBALL THAT MEETS THE REQUIREMENTS. THIS IS HUGE FOR OUR CITY, FOR SACRAMENTO TO BE IN A POWER FIVE SPORTS CONFERENCE. AND HE GOT IT IN ORDER TO MEET CERTAIN CONFERENCE REQUIREMENTS, THE UNIVERSITY NEEDS PROPER ATHLETIC FACILITIES TO HOST GAMES WITH THE OPTION OF THE GOLDEN ONE CENTER AT PLAY. WOOD THINKS THEY HAVE A GOOD SHOT OF GETTING INTO THE CONFERENCE NOW, AND THE KINGS STEPPING UP THIS WAY ON BASKETBALL. JUST MAKES IT TRANSFORMATIONAL ARGUMENT FOR US THAT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE AT THAT LEVEL AND THAT WE SHOULD BE, AND STUDENTS ARE EXCITED TO SEE WHAT COULD HAPPEN. THERE BEING SO MUCH TRACTION NOT ONLY TO THE SCHOOL, BUT I BET A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD START COMING TO SACRAMENTO STATE. A LOT OF ATHLETES WOULD BRING IN SOME BIG NAMES OVER HERE. IT WOULD BE LIKE SUPER BENEFICIAL FOR THE SCHOOL AND JUST THE AREA ITSELF. I MEAN, THAT’S A FRIDAY, SATURDAY NIGHT, GOING TO WATCH THE BASKETBALL GAME. THE ANNOUNCEMENT COMES WITH THE SUPPORT FROM NEARBY BUSINESSES LIKE TIPSY POT. ANYTIME WE CAN GET SAC STATE ELEVATED INTO A HIGHER CONFERENCE, PLAYING AGAINST, YOU KNOW, NATIONALLY TELEVISED TEAMS NATIONALLY TELEVISED GAMES, THAT’S ONLY GOING TO DRAW, DRAW A GREATER CROWD TO THE GOLDEN 1 AREA AND DOCO AREA. WOOD BELIEVES THIS WILL BE A GREAT INVESTMENT FOR THE UNIVERSITY AND FOR SACRAMENTO. THERE’S A MARRIAGE BETWEEN EDUCATION AND SPORTS. THAT’S UNDENIABLE. THE BETTER THE SPORTS TEAMS PERFORM, THE MORE DOLLARS IT BRINGS TO THE UNIVERSITY, THE MORE CLOUT THAT BRINGS TO THE UNIVERSITY AND THE MORE THE VALUE OF THE DEGREE GOES UP. NOW GOLDEN ONE CENTER AND SACRAMENTO STATE STILL NEED TO IDENTIFY AND AGREE ON UP TO 20 DATES OF WHERE THE HORNETS COULD BE PLAYING HERE DURING THE 2025, 2026 BASKETBALL SEASON. BUT OF COURSE, THE NEGOTIATIONS ARE STILL IN THE WORKS FOR HOW MUCH THIS IS ALL GOING TO COST. THE UNIVERSITY AS WELL. LIVE HERE IN DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO. I’M ON FIRE

If Sacramento State is accepted into the PAC-12, a collegiate athletic conference, the men's and women's basketball teams would be able to play their conference home games at the Golden 1 Center.The PAC-12 currently has several vacancies after 10 of the 12 members left the conference this year, and Sac State is looking to take a spot. The effort to join PAC-12 led to the creation of Sac-12, a committee comprising several Sacramento-area leaders. Josh Wood and California State Sen. Angelique Ashby co-chair the committee. Sac State has also received some welcome news from the Sacramento Kings that the university believes will help its push. A Wednesday release from the NBA team stated they would share their 17,000-seat arena with the Hornets."We are super grateful to Vivek and the Kings today for this announcement and giving Sac State a place to play," said Wood in an interview with KCRA. The release from the Kings said the Golden 1 Center could host basketball conference home games even if the university is admitted into another Football Bowl Subdivision such as the Mountain West Conference."The Kings stepped up. Vivek stepped up again for Sacramento, and now we have this pathway to really being in the Pac-12, because we're going to have a place to play basketball that meets the requirements. This is huge for our city, for Sacramento to be in a Power Five sports conference," said Wood.If this happens, the G1C and Sac State would work to find mutually agreeable dates to host up to 20 games during the 2025-2026 college basketball season.“We are beyond thrilled to have received this exciting offer from Golden 1 Center to work together to host Sacramento State in their iconic arena,” Wood said in a release. “Once again this community has demonstrated that it is ready to do whatever it takes to help Sacramento State reach its full potential.”Sacramento State students told KCRA that they're excited about the announcement. Saying that they feel like their university would gain more credibility and attract more people to Sacramento. "That would bring so much traction not only to the school, but I bet a lot of people would start coming to Sacramento State. A lot of athletes would bring in some big names over here," said Jacob Peña. This comes after Sac State announced that architecture firm Populous will be designing the college's new 25,000-seat arena that will be used for football, rugby, soccer games, as well as other events such as concerts and commencement events.Populous has designed major venues such as Yankee Stadium, T-Mobile Arena and the 2012 London Summer Olympics main stadium.Sac State President Luke Wood and Sac-12 also called on local businesses to invest in the push to join PAC-12. The release said Sac-12 with the help of the community secured more than $35 million in NIL funds for Sacramento State Athletics in 24 hours.The general manager of Tipsy Putt, Adan Richards is excited about the news. Saying that nearby businesses could benefit from even more business. "Anytime we can get Sac State elevated into a higher conference. Playing against, you know, nationally televised teams, nationally televised games, that's only going to draw draw a greater crowd to the Golden One area and DOCO area," said Richards. Do you have photos or video of an incident? If so, upload them to KCRA.com/upload. Be sure to include your name and additional details so we can give you proper credit online and on TV.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

If Sacramento State is accepted into the PAC-12, a collegiate athletic conference, the men's and women's basketball teams would be able to play their conference home games at the Golden 1 Center.

The PAC-12 currently has several vacancies after 10 of the 12 members left the conference this year, and Sac State is looking to take a spot. The effort to join PAC-12 led to the creation of Sac-12, a committee comprising several Sacramento-area leaders. Josh Wood and California State Sen. Angelique Ashby co-chair the committee.

Sac State has also received some welcome news from the Sacramento Kings that the university believes will help its push. A Wednesday release from the NBA team stated they would share their 17,000-seat arena with the Hornets.

"We are super grateful to Vivek and the Kings today for this announcement and giving Sac State a place to play," said Wood in an interview with KCRA.

The release from the Kings said the Golden 1 Center could host basketball conference home games even if the university is admitted into another Football Bowl Subdivision such as the Mountain West Conference.

"The Kings stepped up. Vivek stepped up again for Sacramento, and now we have this pathway to really being in the Pac-12, because we're going to have a place to play basketball that meets the requirements. This is huge for our city, for Sacramento to be in a Power Five sports conference," said Wood.

If this happens, the G1C and Sac State would work to find mutually agreeable dates to host up to 20 games during the 2025-2026 college basketball season.

“We are beyond thrilled to have received this exciting offer from Golden 1 Center to work together to host Sacramento State in their iconic arena,” Wood said in a release. “Once again this community has demonstrated that it is ready to do whatever it takes to help Sacramento State reach its full potential.”

Sacramento State students told KCRA that they're excited about the announcement. Saying that they feel like their university would gain more credibility and attract more people to Sacramento.

"That would bring so much traction not only to the school, but I bet a lot of people would start coming to Sacramento State. A lot of athletes would bring in some big names over here," said Jacob Peña.

This comes after Sac State announced that architecture firm Populous will be designing the college's new 25,000-seat arena that will be used for football, rugby, soccer games, as well as other events such as concerts and commencement events.

Populous has designed major venues such as Yankee Stadium, T-Mobile Arena and the 2012 London Summer Olympics main stadium.

Sac State President Luke Wood and Sac-12 also called on local businesses to invest in the push to join PAC-12. The release said Sac-12 with the help of the community secured more than $35 million in NIL funds for Sacramento State Athletics in 24 hours.

The general manager of Tipsy Putt, Adan Richards is excited about the news. Saying that nearby businesses could benefit from even more business.

"Anytime we can get Sac State elevated into a higher conference. Playing against, you know, nationally televised teams, nationally televised games, that's only going to draw draw a greater crowd to the Golden One area and DOCO area," said Richards.

Do you have photos or video of an incident? If so, upload them to KCRA.com/upload. Be sure to include your name and additional details so we can give you proper credit online and on TV.

See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter

If Sacramento State joins PAC-12, Kings say basketball teams can play at Golden 1 Center

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