I actually think this is a decent hire. He has experience running a large media network and in PR. It's something that the Pac-12 sorely needs and if he can expand the reach of Pac-12N it would be a massive boon. It's a risky hire for sure but a potential for great
To be honest, I have no clue how to react. Larry Scott did have background in sports but that wasn't good enough. The new guy has background in entertainment, but will that be beneficial?
I'm actually optimistic about this hire. Larry Scott was able to expand the conference and signed an early, solid, but not spectacular, TV deal. His issues were the failure in getting the Pac-12 Network distributed nationwide, failure to push a global presence despite wasting a lot of time and money on it (though LiAngelo Ball and UCLOL hurt the China market), and the early push into digital and mobile media, which was executed poorly and never got off the ground in terms of viewers and monetization.
The new Commissioner has a pretty impressive resume - MGM entertainment director based in Vegas, interim CEO at Hulu, exec VP at MLB Advanced Media, chief digital officer at NBC Universal. He's checking the media boxes of where Larry Scott failed.
I'm not sure I'm going to like all the monetization decisions that are going to be made - with recent court decisions and changes in the laws, the student-athletes will be getting a cut of revenue in some form, and I'm guessing sports gambling will only increase in ease.
But rather than focusing on just the athletics, it's clear the schools want him to be focused on maximizing money and eyeballs on all platforms. It'll be up to the schools to deliver an entertainment and winning product on the fields and courts.
As someone who lives in China and would love to watch the Pac-12 channel and have all sports streaming here - the Pac-12 concentration on China made zero sense to me. I was glad to take advantage (I went to every game) but they spent so much time and money for minimal returns.
Except i got to meet Bill Walton. And watch the Bears get blitzed by an Ivy League Team. I also helped my friend get a photo with Lavar Ball.
Newellbany and I were discussing yesterday that the P12 has basically had 2 commissioners for our entire fandom lifetime.....hopefully Georgie will be better.
Scott actually did alright initially, but after the antiquated tenure of Tom Hansen, anyone would be an upgrade, in retrospect. But as time went on, and more and more was learned about Scott, it was clear he had to go. The P12N DirecTV issue was unconscionable....a fireable offense right there.
Not sure what exactly GK can/will do that will improve things, tho...the product on the field/court needs to improve, which means teams need to be better, which means they need to recruit better, which means facilities need to be better...it's gonna take some time, and they've squandered any momentum Scott ever generated.
I think the only affect a commish can have on improving team play is better media deals that allow them to upgrade recruits + facilities? That's a long tail.
Exactly...it’s not a quick fix, and amongst the Power 5, the P12 will ALWAYS be fighting the ACC & B12 for 3rd place behind SEC & Big 10 in terms of revenue...all Georgie needs to do tho is keep pace, maybe close the gap a little. Getting P12N on Directv is a start. Again, tho, it’s not a quick fix.
Having Larry Scott seemed like it was actually costing the P12 money with his vanity expenditures. The more you hear about Scott, the more dreadful of a person he sounds.
IF they're going to continue offering revenue sports on the flagship network, getting the P12 Network on DirecTV is absolutely essential...it all starts there. If he can't do that, he won't be successful...simple as that. If fans can't even watch the revenue sports at BWW's or sports bar that has a Sunday ticket like package, then it'll fail...
I gave Scott the benefit of the doubt on the DirecTV thing at first, but as it dragged on forever it became way more of a failure on the conference's part than on DirecTV's part.
Does he get paid more than Larry Scott's $5 million annual salary?
He's going to be very frustrated when he finds out how little control he has over the member institutions.
Kliavkoff? Didn't George Smiley have an issue with this guy?
Seems as if George Smiley's first piece of advice to Kliavkoff was excellent: https://sports.yahoo.com/new-pac-12-commish-the-college-football-playoff-should-expand-190709859.html
That was before the Wall came down. Now they're drinking buddies. ;-)
I actually think this is a decent hire. He has experience running a large media network and in PR. It's something that the Pac-12 sorely needs and if he can expand the reach of Pac-12N it would be a massive boon. It's a risky hire for sure but a potential for great
To be honest, I have no clue how to react. Larry Scott did have background in sports but that wasn't good enough. The new guy has background in entertainment, but will that be beneficial?
I'm actually optimistic about this hire. Larry Scott was able to expand the conference and signed an early, solid, but not spectacular, TV deal. His issues were the failure in getting the Pac-12 Network distributed nationwide, failure to push a global presence despite wasting a lot of time and money on it (though LiAngelo Ball and UCLOL hurt the China market), and the early push into digital and mobile media, which was executed poorly and never got off the ground in terms of viewers and monetization.
The new Commissioner has a pretty impressive resume - MGM entertainment director based in Vegas, interim CEO at Hulu, exec VP at MLB Advanced Media, chief digital officer at NBC Universal. He's checking the media boxes of where Larry Scott failed.
I'm not sure I'm going to like all the monetization decisions that are going to be made - with recent court decisions and changes in the laws, the student-athletes will be getting a cut of revenue in some form, and I'm guessing sports gambling will only increase in ease.
But rather than focusing on just the athletics, it's clear the schools want him to be focused on maximizing money and eyeballs on all platforms. It'll be up to the schools to deliver an entertainment and winning product on the fields and courts.
As someone who lives in China and would love to watch the Pac-12 channel and have all sports streaming here - the Pac-12 concentration on China made zero sense to me. I was glad to take advantage (I went to every game) but they spent so much time and money for minimal returns.
Except i got to meet Bill Walton. And watch the Bears get blitzed by an Ivy League Team. I also helped my friend get a photo with Lavar Ball.
Newellbany and I were discussing yesterday that the P12 has basically had 2 commissioners for our entire fandom lifetime.....hopefully Georgie will be better.
Scott actually did alright initially, but after the antiquated tenure of Tom Hansen, anyone would be an upgrade, in retrospect. But as time went on, and more and more was learned about Scott, it was clear he had to go. The P12N DirecTV issue was unconscionable....a fireable offense right there.
Not sure what exactly GK can/will do that will improve things, tho...the product on the field/court needs to improve, which means teams need to be better, which means they need to recruit better, which means facilities need to be better...it's gonna take some time, and they've squandered any momentum Scott ever generated.
I think the only affect a commish can have on improving team play is better media deals that allow them to upgrade recruits + facilities? That's a long tail.
Exactly...it’s not a quick fix, and amongst the Power 5, the P12 will ALWAYS be fighting the ACC & B12 for 3rd place behind SEC & Big 10 in terms of revenue...all Georgie needs to do tho is keep pace, maybe close the gap a little. Getting P12N on Directv is a start. Again, tho, it’s not a quick fix.
Having Larry Scott seemed like it was actually costing the P12 money with his vanity expenditures. The more you hear about Scott, the more dreadful of a person he sounds.
Thanks for your input. For now, I want Pac12 network app/channel on smart tv.
IF they're going to continue offering revenue sports on the flagship network, getting the P12 Network on DirecTV is absolutely essential...it all starts there. If he can't do that, he won't be successful...simple as that. If fans can't even watch the revenue sports at BWW's or sports bar that has a Sunday ticket like package, then it'll fail...
I gave Scott the benefit of the doubt on the DirecTV thing at first, but as it dragged on forever it became way more of a failure on the conference's part than on DirecTV's part.
Well, the sports bookies will be happy. "Let the Games Begin!"
Conference of Buffoons....showing they learned NOTHING from the Larry Scott era. Complete idiots.
First development: Google will break.
Second development: EMS is being called to the offices of 12 ADs who are in need of administration of oxygen.