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Deep in negotiations for a new media rights deal that would begin in 2024, the Pac-12 continues to struggle after losing its two top brands, USC and UCLA.
The conference could reportedly be considering a deal with Apple TV+ for football and potentially other sports. The next step in the process would be for commissioner George Kliavkoff to present the idea to Pac-12 university presidents.
Just last week, CBS and Warner Bros. Discovery reportedly bowed out of negotiations. ESPN, Fox, and NBC are technically still in the running, but they’re likely to be much less desperate given their deals with the other conferences.
Even Amazon, the Pac-12’s other major option, is now playing “hardball” with negotiations, as Front Office Sports reported on Friday.
The Pac-12 is the only Power 5 conference without a clear media rights future — meaning its ultimate fate looks precarious.
- The SEC has a 10-year, $3 billion deal with Disney commencing in 2024.
- The Big Ten inked a mid-$7 billion deal with CBS, NBC, and Fox over the summer — the biggest media rights package in college sports history.
- The Big 12 re-upped with Fox and ESPN for $2.28 billion.
- Even the ACC, labeled just this past summer as the conference being left in the dust, has more stability, thanks to a modest deal with ESPN through 2036.
The conference did, however, issue a statement last week presenting a united front, saying negotiation conversations were “positive” and that a new deal would be announced “in the very near future.”
Coming Friday: As the Pac-12 claws for a major media rights deal, its future becomes more uncertain. In an original FOS report later this week, our very own Amanda Christovich will break down how the once-mighty conference became the odd man out in the Power 5. Make sure you’re tapped in.
