There is no danger that the Pacific...

There is no danger that the Pacific 10 Conference will become the Pac-7, even though three of the four Northwest members are having economic problems, league executive director Tom Hansen said at the conference meeting in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho.

The conference could, however, be broken down into three economic levels, based on the main money-making sport--football--with Washington State, Oregon and Oregon State making up the bottom third, he said.

“We have discussed the problems that they have, but they have said emphatically that they are going to do whatever it takes financially and otherwise to stay in the Pac-10,” he said.

UCLA, USC, Washington and Arizona State are solvent because of their successful football programs, Hansen said. The middle schools, with big stadiums and good programs, are Arizona, California and Stanford.

He said there are no likely successors should schools drop out.