The PAC 10 expansion groundswell

[myboynoah]

Highlighting the challenges of going with a streaming platform.

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[Uncle Ted]

The PAC 12 network was a bad, bad idea is most likely on the chopping block... But the PAC 12-2's new media deal will most likely still suck for exposure. (i.e., Apple TV+ won't add a lot more viewers.)

Pac-12 media rights: Kliavkoff has made no secret about his strategy (and interest in streaming companies)

On Feb. 2, Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff appeared on a sports business podcast and laid out, in blunt terms, his strategy for securing a media rights contract — specifically with regard to the crucial question of content access.

“Whatever deal we do,” he explained, “it’s my goal to have our content available on any piece of glass connected to the internet. Period, full stop.”
[...]
In the current media contract, 28 percent of Pac-12 football games are distributed on Disney platforms (ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU).

We know this because the Pac-12 owns approximately 80 games each year: 54 regular-season conference matchups, the championship game, and about 25 non-conference home games. (That number varies slightly by the season, of course.)

ESPN and Fox license 45 of them as co-partners: 22 each, with the championship game alternating annually. So in a two-year cycle, ESPN/ABC has 45 of the 160, or 28 percent.

The other 35 games (approximately) — that’s about 44 percent of the total inventory — are distributed by the Pac-12 Networks.

Yep, almost half the games are on the outlet with the lowest visibility. And not by a little.

As broadcast networks, ABC and FOX are in about 120 million homes.

ESPN and FS1 reach about 75 million homes.

The Pac-12 Networks are in about 14 million.
[...]
Throughout the media rights saga, the Hotline has made three basic assumptions:

• The Pac-12 Networks will cease to exist as a media distribution company — they won’t air any football or men’s basketball games.

• Disney’s linear networks (ABC, ESPN and ESPN2) will broadcast Pac-12 football. Exactly how much? Our guess is roughly the same percentage of games as in the current agreement.

(Key point: If the Pac-12 doesn’t expand, there will be 13-15 fewer games available.)

• A significant portion of Pac-12 football will be available on a streaming service.

We don’t know which one, of course. Nor do we know the exact number of domestic subscribers for each.

But to give you a sense of the reach of streaming compared to the cable networks (ESPN and FS1) and the Pac-12 Networks, we found these estimates online:

Prime Video: 77 million

Paramount (CBS): 56 million

Hulu (Disney): 48 million

Apple TV: 30 million

ESPN+: 25 million

Peacock: 15 million

Even ESPN+ and Apple TV, potential landing spots for Pac-12 content, have approximately twice as many subscribers as the Pac-12 Networks.
[...]

https://www.mercurynews.com/2023/02/...ing-companies/

And Comcast wants its money back for the PAC 12 network.

[myboynoah]

The PAC will survive!

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[Green Monstah]

Term of the deal and GOR will be telling.

[Uncle Ted]

The PAC will survive!

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I guess that Kliavkoff didn't mention that UW and Oregon will be getting a larger piece of the pie than everyone else or they will be leaving.

Let me be the first to welcome ASU (and Arizona) to the Big 12!

[Uncle Ted]

Here is the article that Dodd was referring to...

ASU’s Anderson hopes Pac-12 media rights future clarifies soon

“We’re managing it by being patient and letting the process with our new commissioner take its course. It’s been challenging and it’s been frustrating, I don’t think anybody can deny that,” Anderson told Bickley & Marotta when he joined Arizona Sports on Thursday.

“And so we’ve had to be patient because, very frankly, we’re not in control. We certainly believe in the value of this market and certainly the value ASU as an institution brings to the Pac-12 conference.”

Anderson, though, believes a resolution is on the horizon with the Pac-12’s current contract with ESPN and Fox ending after next season. He is confident the Pac-12 and commissioner George Kliavkoff will reach a deal that keeps things relatively intact.

The ASU leader said that he could see a media rights deal close in the next two or three weeks.

But:

“Assurances is a very strong word. Guarantees, assurances, can you promise? I can’t, I can’t speculate,” Anderson said.
[...]
“Certainly, we’re all anxious to have something resolved here in the next couple, three weeks, so we can take next steps and get some of this speculation out of the air in regard to what other conferences may be thinking in terms of trying to pick off Pac-10 teams, if you will, and what we may do in terms of adding institutions,” Anderson told Bickley & Marotta. “Getting a media rights deal will clear the air for figuring out some of that other stuff.

Added Anderson: “We’ve just been forced like everyone else, unfortunately, to let this thing play out because we’re not directly in the driver’s seat. That being said, we have confidence our commissioners and our presidents and chancellors are going to get to a place where a media rights deal and a grant of rights is done. It may not be the projections originally contemplated but will be a solid enough financial situation to keep this conference together and then (we will) really work hard to move forward positively.”

https://arizonasports.com/story/3506...eal-clarifies/


"a deal that keeps things relatively intact" So does that mean Oregon and UW are getting big slices of the pie or adding SDSU and SMU is going to make everyone happy and not care about the money?

[Jeff Lebowski]

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[Uncle Ted]

"Maybe, just maybe, lightning could strike twice."

At least he is sane enough to realize that Utah going to the Pac 10+2 was really a very unlikely event (like 1 in a million).

[Jeff Lebowski]

"Maybe, just maybe, lightning could strike twice."

At least he is sane enough to realize that Utah going to the Pac 10+2 was really a very unlikely event (like 1 in a million).

It seems like there is a ute fan post featured on message board geniuses every other day. You love to see it.

[USUC]

This is all going to end with Utah in the Big-XII, isn't it?

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[Uncle Ted]

This is all going to end with Utah Arizona/ASU/Oregon/UW in the Big-XII, isn't it?

FIFY. Yes

Ion TV?!? I had to look to see if we even had one of their stations in the DFW area. Channel 68. I don't think I have ever watch anything on that channel.

Apparently Scripps Sports is the home of the Big Sky Conference. Seems like a good fit for the Pac 12-2.


Edit: I just took a look to see what is playing on ION tv on Saturday: https://iontelevision.com/schedule# Law & Order all day! Oh man, my aunt loves that show and will be pissed if they bump it for Pac 12-2 sports.

[Mormon Red Death]

https://twitter.com/Pac12onPrime/sta...556505088?s=20

[BigFatMeanie]

FIFY. Yes

Ion TV?!? I had to look to see if we even had one of their stations in the DFW area. Channel 68. I don't think I have ever watch anything on that channel.

Apparently Scripps Sports is the home of the Big Sky Conference. Seems like a good fit for the Pac 12-2.


Edit: I just took a look to see what is playing on ION tv on Saturday: https://iontelevision.com/schedule# Law & Order all day! Oh man, my aunt loves that show and will be pissed if they bump it for Pac 12-2 sports.

I love that show too. And I too will be pissed if they bump it for Pac 12 sports. Unless SMU is playing SDSU - then I'll tune in for sure!

[USUC]

https://twitter.com/Pac12onPrime/sta...556505088?s=20

Wow, seems like getting a better media deal than the Big-XII will be a slam dunk then.

[myboynoah]

This is all going to end with Utah in the Big-XII, isn't it?

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Wow, an obscure weirdness in this saga that even MHver3 didn't put out there.