David Hookstead
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PAC-12 officials will meet Monday in Seattle, but no decision will come on a new media deal.
The west coast conference has been hunting for a new media deal since 2022, but so far, nothing has happened. Not only has no deal been finalized, it’s not even clear there’s a significant one on the table.
The longer the conference goes without a deal, the worse the situation gets. Big 12 officials would love nothing more than for the PAC-12’s media debacle to drag on.
Well, PAC-12 officials will meet today, but no media rights decision is expected, according to Jon Wilner.
Wilner reported final decisions on a new media deal and expansion “likely will come in the late spring or early summer.”
It’s believed 15 to 20 people are fully read in on whatever the PAC-12 might be planning in order to secure its survival, according to the same report.
The PAC-12 desperately needs to get a deal done.
The fact it’s the middle of May, and there’s no deal done is a really bad sign for the future of the PAC-12.
Now, don’t read that sentence and overreact. There’s still plenty of time for the PAC-12 to get something done.
However, this situation has been dragging on for months and months with no resolution even appearing to be on the horizon.
There’s also been a ton of conflicting information about whether or not certain networks are out. The most credible reports appear to be the ones that claim the PAC-12 might have to turn to streaming.
No traditional powerhouse network seems interested in paying the PAC-12s rate, which needs to be at least $31.7 million annually per member to match with the Big 12.
Now, it’s reported no decision is expected until “late spring or early summer.” While that’s not terribly far off, it does indicate the can just keeps getting kicked down the road. With whispers swirling about Oregon and Washington vetted and ready to roll with the Big Ten, the PAC-12 better get a tent over its media rights circus sooner than later.
Without one, the conference could find itself racing towards the edge of a cliff. It just takes one team to split for the dominos to start falling. Right now, there’s absolutely no guarantee that doesn’t happen, and once it does, all hell will break loose.
The other thing to watch is the LENGTH of any grant of rights.
A four deal for instance is just a stay of execution. Heck, Oregon/Washington could sign that AND announce later this year they’re leaving for the Big Ten as soon as it’s up. Staying ahead of the Big XII is what they need to avoid collapsing THIS year.
No chance they keep pace with Big Ten, which is why USC and UCLA already bolted and why Oregon and Washington will as soon as the Big Ten will have them. At that point, the Four Corners [Colorado, Utah, AZ, AZ St] schools will join the Big XII and it’s curtains for the PAC-12.