PAC-12 authorize immediate negotiations for next Media Rights deal

The conference is trying to make the next move

Pac-12 Conference @pac12

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The Pac-12 announced earlier this morning that they would be authorizing the start of immediate negotiations for their next media rights deal.

Dennis Dodd @dennisdoddcbs

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Indications are the Pac-12 will begin an exclusive 30-day negotiation window with ESPN and Fox. Other bidders can then weigh in after that if a deal isn't done.

Dennis Dodd @dennisdoddcbs

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Pac-12 play seems to be leveraging teams in expansion with certainty of media rights now instead of waiting for Big 12. That's not to say Big 12 could do the same thing tomorrow and go to market. I'm told the difference in media rights btw Big 12 and Pac-12 would be "negligible"

The current deal is set to expire in 2024, which then accelerated the negotiations and potentially the leverage for the negotiations since they would begin before the BigXII can.

John Canzano wrote some interesting points on his site this morning as well.

John Canzano @johncanzanobft

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Oregon and Phil Knight have a wish list and put the Big Ten and SEC on it. But... Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff is punching effectively off the ropes behind the scenes. Said a source: "George is kicking ass." What does it all mean? New column:

bit.lyCanzano: Oregon Ducks make a wish list, while Pac-12 rallies behind scenesDucks covet Big Ten or SEC invite.

Former Fox Sports Network president Bob Thompson told me last week that he estimated the Pac-12’s next media rights contract would command $500 million a year before the defection. With the Los Angeles’ television market gone, Thompson says the Pac-12’s media value is reduced to $300 million a year.

That appears to be a 40-percent wholesale discount. But it pencils out to a 28 percent reduction, per university, given that the $300 million would now be split only 10 ways ($30 million each) vs. $500 million being split 12 ways ($41.6 million each).

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Meanwhile, the Pac-12 issued a statement on Tuesday morning, indicating that its board had authorized the conference to “immediately” begin negotiations for the next media rights agreement.

That caught my attention. Because it sounds like the Pac-12 already has a media partner (ESPN? Apple?) and is ready to move forward with a new plan. My hunch is the Pac-12 accelerated the negotiation because it has some specific additional conference additions (from the Big 12? ACC?) in mind.

What do you think about the changes? Where do you think the conference should direct its attention to next? Let us know in the comments below!