PULLMAN, Wash. — Can the Apple Cup survive Washington’s exit to the Big Ten?

That remains an open question, but Washington State athletic director Pat Chun says he has been hearing from Cougar fans who say they no longer want the game played.

Chun, who addressed media for the first time since the mass exodus of Pac-12 schools last week, said he understands those feelings, especially because Washington’s exit helped lead to the demise of the Pac-12, and has left Washington State scrambling.

“I fully recognize the anger Cougs have for the University of Washington, and I believe it’s sourced correctly,” Chun said. “And I don’t blame them (for not wanting the Apple Cup to continue beyond this season). Those are real emotions. That’s real frustration. And they wouldn’t be Cougs if they didn’t express their emotions.”

That said, Chun said emotions will be taken out of the equation when the decision is made on the Apple Cup.

“We’ve got to figure out what we look like going forward — a football schedule is complicated enough,” Chun said. “But I also recognize from a TV partner standpoint, there’s high value in a national rivalry like the Apple Cup. … Our responsibility, President (Kirk) Schulz and I, is to make sound financial decisions for the athletic department.”

Schulz wrote in a note to colleagues in June that WSU athletics was anticipating an $11.5 million budget deficit for fiscal year 2023. The Pac-12 now being down to four teams — WSU, Oregon State, Stanford and California — has put the Cougar athletics in a “bad spot,” Shulz told ESPN.

Schulz told ESPN that the school would not cut sports, but he estimated “40 percent of the school’s athletic revenue disappearing.”

Chun said it’s impossible to do budget models until WSU knows where it ends up and what it get as part of a media rights deal.

The Mountain West Conference and the American Athletic Conference have been speculated landing spots for WSU and Oregon State, but Chun would not get into the options.

“There’s a best option out there and we’re going to go find it,” Chun said.

For chun, the anger that it has come to this is palpable.

“In my last conversation with President Schulz on Thursday night, he indicated to me that the nine (Pac-12) presidents had agreed upon the granting rights, and then it was going be formally signed in the morning,” Chun said. “And then he notified me early (Friday) morning that Oregon and Washington were going to the Big Ten.

“Anger was probably my first emotion. … It’s the the oddity of college athletics that a decision by one school in the same state has a tremendous financial impact on the other school.”

Chun blamed poor leadership over many years for the demise of the Pac-12.

“I think it’s been well documented that the last couple of weeks was a culmination of years of failed leadership, vision, failed implementation,” Chun said. “It isn’t one singular thing that led to the destruction of the Pac-12 as we know it. It was a bunch of decisions and failed strategies that put us in this place. That’s unfortunate because the ones who lose out on that are the student-athletes that go forward.”

That said, Chun said the Cougars will persevere.

“It’s been tough, but the reality is, Cougs are tough and we’ll come out swinging when it’s all said and done,” Chun said. “This thing is far from over. That’s what I keep telling our staff — realignment is going to continue to happen, and we’re going to continue to prove our critics wrong. We’re going to continue to go forward and Washington State will continue to be a national brand.”

Chun won’t address Ohio State speculation

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith announced Wednesday that he is stepping down in June 2024.

Chun graduated from Ohio State and spent 15 years in the Buckeye athletic department, rising to executive associate athletic director. Cleveland.com, the website of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, listed Chun as one of five possible candidates for the job.

“But I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the impact Gene Smith has had on me professionally and personally,” Chun said. “I would not be in this chair without Gene. He and his wife are dear friends. Gene is a mentor and I’m thankful that he gets to decide the timeline of his departure.

“But I work for Washington State University and my focus is to continue to serve the student athletes of Washington State.”