SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Golden 1 Center could be the home site of Sacramento State University's men’s and women’s basketball if the school gets admitted to the Pac-12 or another conference, such as the Mountain West.
The SAC12 Committee, composed of local business leaders and government officials, announced Wednesday the Golden 1 Center has offered to host home games for the basketball programs if a move to the conference happens.
Under the offer, the Golden 1 Center and Sacramento State would work together to mutually agree on dates during the 2025-26 college basketball season, subject to negotiating terms. The Hornets can host up to 20 games once dates have been agreed upon.
“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,” SAC12 co-chair Josh Wood said in a press release. “Once again this community has demonstrated that it is ready to do whatever it takes to help Sacramento State reach its full potential.”
SAC12 is a coalition formed to help elevate all Sacramento State athletics to an elite NCAA Division I conference. Wood and State Sen. Angelique Ashby are co-chairs of the committee.
A move to the Pac-12 would take the Hornets football program from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), which is considered the upper tier of Division I college football.
Despite adding Gonzaga as its eighth member, the Pac-12 is still in need of a football-playing school to meet the NCAA’s FBS requirements. The conference has until July 1, 2026 to fulfill the NCAA’s obligations.
“We’re the biggest market on the table for the Pac-12,” Barry Broome of the Greater Sacramento Economic Council previously told ABC10. “$35 million NIL raised…brand new stadium and you’re the state capitol of California, to me it’s a no brainer.”
The majority of Sacramento State’s athletic programs, including football and basketball, compete in the Big Sky Conference.
A possible host site in the Golden 1 Center could clear a major hurdle in the school’s push for the Pac-12. The university’s basketball programs currently host games at The Nest, which has a seating capacity of 1,012.
Sacramento State recently announced plans to build a 25,000-seat football stadium and the SAC12 Committee secured $35 million in NIL funding in 24 hours.
Architecture firm Populous is designing the new-look stadium for Sacramento State. Venues that Populous has designed include Yankees Stadium, London Olympics main stadium, Colorado State University’s football stadium and Target Field.
There are plans to tear down Hornet Stadium after the current football season ends.
WATCH MORE ON ABC10 | Sacramento State unveils plans for new football stadium
