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The Pac-12 is taking bids for its next media rights deals — and a tech giant could be a big X-factor at the negotiating table.
The conference is reportedly considering linking up with Amazon, according to the Mercury News.
- The Pac-12’s current 12-year deals with Fox and ESPN run until 2024 and carry an average annual value of $250 million.
- Conference commissioner George Kliavkoff said in July that a deal with a major digital media company is “highly likely.”
- While Amazon is expecting a dropoff in viewership for “Thursday Night Football” this year as it takes over exclusive rights, a deal with the Pac-12 beginning in 2024 could give the company more time to become a mainstream sports destination.
The Pac-12 is looking to land a deal that would allow it to grow its per-school payout, which was around $33 million in 2020, per tax filings, compared to $54 million from the Big Ten.
Realignment Pains
The Pac-12 will have to negotiate a new deal without two of its most prominent schools: USC and UCLA have both announced plans to bolt for the Big Ten in 2024.
Last month, the Big Ten struck seven-year deals with Fox, CBS, and NBC collectively worth more than $7 billion.
With the Big Ten and SEC emerging as super conferences through their recent expansions, the Pac-12 and Big 12 explored a partnership, but the Big 12 reportedly ended talks regarding a merger in July.
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