USC isn't going anywhere, no matter how much they threaten. The entire University is in serious financial trouble. They had a hiring freeze in place well before the federal government went off on the research grants budgets. They also have an "interim" president with the goal of replacing him with a "permanent" hire in July 2026. The previous president announced her retirement in early November of 2024 but stayed on until July of 2025 while a search went on for a new president. None was found, thus the "interim".
There is no money to subsidize athletics at the level required to successfully "go independent". Even if a financially viable situation could eventually be created, getting to that point would require at least two years of heavy deficits (and perhaps more). It is very difficult to imagine USC could get "a better deal" going that way and they don't have the funds to invest in trying.
There is no money to subsidize athletics at the level required to successfully "go independent". Even if a financially viable situation could eventually be created, getting to that point would require at least two years of heavy deficits (and perhaps more). It is very difficult to imagine USC could get "a better deal" going that way and they don't have the funds to invest in trying.