Rebuilding The PAC 12 – Prioritizing TV Media Rights
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July 1st, 2024, has come and gone. The PAC 12 as we know it of over 108 years of existence is no more. The Conference of Champions was dismantled after USC and UCLA left their perch in the west to join the powerful Big Ten conference.
Oh, @pac12 … pic.twitter.com/49VhqNYS2p
— Jonathan Martin (@JonathanKMartin) July 1, 2024
The Big 12 and Big Ten each added four teams to their conference. Eventually the ACC added Stanford and California leaving only Oregon State and Washington State as members of the PAC 12. The PAC 12 has a 2-year grace period to expand back to at least an 8-team conference to not only remain in existence but possibly a power five conference.
Oregon State and Washington State officially were introduced as affiliate members of the West Coast Conference (WCC) on July 1st. They are joining them for 2 years while they attempt to rebuild the PAC 12. 12 sports will be a part of the WCC while football (WCC doesn’t have football) has a deal worked out with the Mountain West Conference (MWC).
We officially welcome @BeaverAthletics & @WSUCougars as affiliate members across 12 sports to #WCCsports 👏 pic.twitter.com/A1tM3WydZK
— West Coast Conference (@WCCsports) July 1, 2024
While most of the world seems focused solely on the football side of a rebuild for the PAC 12 with a reverse merger with the MWC, that is not what the focus of this article will be about. Oregon State and Washington State in a court battle won the rights to lead the rebuild of the PAC 12 and over $65 million to work with to do so.
Last week the Big East announced a new TV media rights deal, which will span from 2025-26 through 2030-31 and include coverages on FOX Sports (FOX, FS1, FS2), NBC Sports (NBC, Peacock) and TNT Sports (TNT, TBS, truTV and Max). The agreement will provide major national broadcast, cable and direct-to-consumer streaming coverage of BIG EAST men’s and women’s basketball games and Olympic sport championship events.
BIG EAST Announces New Media Rights Agreement – What a smart move to bring NBC (peacock) in to the fold to cross market with the NBA and stream.
— Will Cowen (@RealWillCowen) June 28, 2024
TNT is a home run addition with their presence in March Madness!
Forward 🤔 conference leadership💯 https://t.co/FMAD9MJnLX
This is important because a media rights deal is where the PAC 12 failed. Their failure to keep their conference together after USC and UCLA left for the Big Ten was directly tied to not being able to land a TV media rights deal. It is also important because the Big East does not play college football, they are a Power Conference in college athletics in college basketball. The Big East deal is expected to double the current $41 million plus shares for its league yearly. Which will nearly double the current media rights deal for the MWC.
Attracting a media rights deal from the networks should be Oregon State and Washington State first priority when reconstructing the new PAC 12, with that in mind let’s take a look at the landscape of college football and college basketball in doing just that…
The Gonzaga Bulldogs
Gonzaga is the biggest fish out there that is not currently in a Power Conference. The Zags have been a top 10 power in basketball for nearly 20-25 years. Any discussion that does not include Gonzaga is not considering TV media rights as part of the attractive package for the new PAC 12. Even without football the Zags will immediately open networks eyes and ears to listen.
Some people like to hate on Gonzaga because they haven't won it all but what Mark Few has done there is really remarkable.
— Thomas Casale (@TheTomCasale) July 2, 2024
And while the WCC may not be the Big 12, the Bulldogs do play one of the toughest non-conference schedules every season. https://t.co/F7zpZAZj58
The Memphis Tigers
Memphis brings basketball and football. They have a chance to be in the running for the coveted Group of Five College Football Playoff spot this season. With Penny Hardaway and the Pyramid, they are top of the list for schools not already in a Power Conference.
New Memphis AD Ed Scott illustrates his principles and values https://t.co/VTXsFY9zSd
— Commercial Appeal (@memphisnews) July 2, 2024
The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)
Keep an eye on the ACC. If they implode, invite SMU as well as Cal, and Stanford back. The Mustangs has a chance to make some noise in the ACC this season and Stanford is the best in Olympic sports. Things in the ACC could go south quickly if FSU and Clemson win the right to look elsewhere.
The Mountain West Conference (MWC)
Boise State, UNLV, and San Diego State is a must to rebuild the PAC 12. Landing those three schools would go a long way into reestablishing the PAC 12 into existence again. Instead of a full reverse merger, getting at least five of these schools on board for the new PAC 12 is essential. Start with those three, then depending on if your focus is football or basketball Air Force, Colorado State, Fresno State, Nevada, New Mexico, or Utah State could be good choices.
It's tru‼️
— Mountain West (@MountainWest) July 1, 2024
The Mountain West and @tntsports have teamed up on a multi-year agreement to bring #MWFB to @truTV and @StreamOnMax 📺🏈 pic.twitter.com/NhhwcDm4YM
The American Athletic Conference (AAC)
Memphis is a must. Florida Atlantic (FAU), South Florida (USF), University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) are all very good options for an Eastern division in the PAC 12. Even Tulane and East Carolina could be considered for that Eastern division. Forming a Pacific and an Eastern Division in the PAC 12 could be attractive to networks for those TV media rights and it also could make the travel transition for these east coast teams more attractive as well.
Significant add for UTSA. Should be one of the top shooters in the AAC, like he was in the ACC two seasons ago. Damari Monsanto, Primo Spears, Tai’Reon Joseph and Paul Lewis should be a pretty strong scoring backcourt for the Roadrunners.
— Sean Paul (@SeanPaulCBB) July 2, 2024
Then a fair amount of interior depth w… https://t.co/LtIJUzrDGf
The West Coast Conference (WCC)
No football, no problem. Gonzaga being any part of the new PAC 12 instantly makes them more attractive for every network to work out a media rights deal. Any deal that does not include Mark Few and the Zags as part of the deal is not putting your best foot forward. Take St Mary’s as part of a package deal to add as basketball and Olympic sports would be a great for the new conference.
The New PAC 12
If eight schools and 2 more for basketball.
- Oregon State, Washington State, Boise State, UNLV, San Diego State, Memphis, USF, UTSA. add Gonzaga and St Mary’s for basketball
— Expansion Rumors (@ExpansionRumors) June 21, 2024
If 12 schools…
- Same as above and add – FAU, UAB, Nevada, New Mexico
If making Super Conference
- add back Stanford, California, and SMU if the ACC implodes plus one more (Tulane, Air Force, Fresno State or others)
New Pac-12 with OSU, WSU, Tulane and Memphis looks lit. 🔥👀 pic.twitter.com/5FJQCsU0f8
— OS_Beaver (@OS_Beaver) May 21, 2024
Oregon State and Washington State have basically a year to sit back and put things in place. This time next year they need to be presenting networks with solid plans moving forward for TV media rights. Using basketball as a lead with solid teams like Gonzaga, San Diego State, Memphis, and others may be the best plan of action for saving the PAC 12. By using the Big East as an example, maybe, just maybe there is hope for a new PAC 12 by 2026.
Can The PAC-12 Survive This Open Season? The College SportsCast #Pac12 Preview & Predictions Show week would be incomplete without a realty check! @CSCast_ @StadiumRantHQ @DaFanboys @lettalksport @sidelinesport1 @wsbn_tv @JonSpor11 @drinklocalbham #CFB
— Brad Harvey (@BradCSCast) July 29, 2023
https://t.co/JxbLJSQNm1
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