David Hookstead
Videos by OutKick
Apple is starting to appear to be the top contender to land the PAC-12’s new media rights.
The PAC-12 and commissioner George Kliavkoff have been attempting to land a new media deal as the conference enters the final football season of its current one.
So far, no deal has been reached, and the situation as a whole has pretty much been chaos.
It now appears there might be a little clarity. Jim Williams reported Friday that the tech giant “wants the ENTIRE tier one package” in a new media deal.
That means Apple would get all of the PAC-12’s best games. It would still leave the door open for Amazon to possibly stream a Friday night game. Williams also reported the main holdup is finding a traditional broadcast partner, which the PAC-12 has been adamant about needing.
Will the PAC-12 team up with Apple?
This isn’t the first time there’s been smoke surrounding Apple and the west coast conference. A report from back in February indicated Apple could ultimately end up landing the PAC-12’s new media deal.
The PAC-12’s main goal is to earn at least what the Big 12 does annually. The Big 12’s new media deal will pay conference members $31.7 million annually.
That’s the number the PAC-12 is desperately attempting to reach.
Teaming up with Apple is a bit of a mixed bag. The tech giant has deep pockets and could easily give the conference at least $31.7 million annually per conference member.
If there’s one thing Apple isn’t short on, it’s definitely cold, hard cash. However, the PAC-12 wants to remain visible and have at least a large chunk of games on traditional TV.
It seems unlikely that can happen if Apple lands all the tier one rights. The games would be streamed on Apple TV+, and casual fans won’t watch. While the conference might get paid, it could lose relevance if the best games are all on streaming. It’s a tough call to make.
A final decision likely has to be on the horizon. If not, the Big 12 is going to start making phone calls, and that should terrify Kliavkoff and other PAC-12 leaders.
