I have to plug my ears and stammer "Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah". I just can't stomach the thought of the Pac being anything other than what I have known my whole life. Hard enough time accepting Utah and Colorado. I'm just heartbroken about the whole conference disintegration. For the LA schools to leave is such a big blow to my sense of West Coast sports. It's not something I'll get over easily or ever.
San Diego State, Arizona, and Colorado would all benefit from being Big 12 members. ASU probably should go and join too. Oregon and Washington are destined for the B1G, and Stannford and NC or Duke should go too.
Unfortunately Sdsu isn't worth anything in terms of media value. Sdsu brought in horrible ratings for their championship game, which isn't unusual. SDSU ranks dead last in MWC viewership, even lower than San Jose State. SDSU Football AND Basketball combined don't even draw half the viewers of Boise State Football. Heck even the NFL abandoned San Diego because it's such an awful sports media market. SMU would be a 4th best value in Dallas... No wonder the TV execs don't want to do business with you. The smart market play would have been Boise and BYU. But Pac 12 isn't proactive, their pride is too good until it's financially unsuitable. If AAU was so important, the Sec wouldn't be whooping your rear ends.
How would Apple price a Pac-12 subscription? Unlike MLS ($99/season, $15/mo) it would be a year-round product so I'm guessing a sub of $10-$15/mo? Of course, I would be happy for the OPPORTUNITY to purchase the Pac channel but I am not representative of the broader audience.
We still need some linear TV visibility for high-profile games but that can be subcontracted. I guess, the strategic question is to decide between 1) a smaller 5-yr deal with ESPN and other networks and take our chances in 2028, hoping teams more teams don't bail or 2) a longer exclusive streaming deal with Apple or Amazon and let them sublease some games.
If we can get near the Big-12 mark of $31 mil/school/yr then take the medium-term deal. If we can't, then we gotta go for a streaming package that can. Unfortunately, the Pac needs money now to stay competitive and doesn't have the luxury of promising a payoff down the road.
The problem with SDSU and SMU joining is they dilute the per school distribution. Even if the PAC10 matches the BIG12 deal the expansion would mean PAC10 schools will be pulling in way less then the BIG12, and then there's the exposure and viewership issues associate with streaming. This greatly impacts visibility and NIL sponsorships which equals to low recruiting ranks.
Oh please -- the lack of expansion isn't what's causing the problem and I have a hunch you know that. If ESPN and/or Fox told the Pac they'd give a decent payout if they'd add SMU and SDSU it would have happened yesterday. The issue is what's left of the Pac 12 isn't worth as much as George has been trying to get, period. The Big 12 got their deal done in 3 weeks, but 9 months later the Pac 12 is still trying to match their deal after having apparently spoken to everyone except Telemundo (and who knows, they may have spoken to them too).
If you think people are going to buy your excuse that it's because they haven't added freaking SMU yet I've got a bridge that goes right by Alcatraz I'll sell you for $20.
Not surprised on how long this is taking. The deal has many moving parts, and I would bet a reluctant team of overlords (Uni Presidents) who will question expansion. (The Presidents have two concerns: 1) dilutive academic brand by adding non-R1 or non-AAU school, and 2) cross-country travel for SMU.) Add in the fact that UO and U-Dub would prefer a short-term deal....
If I was Pres, I'd be asking the bidders to make separate pitches:
1) Accretive value of SD alone (why do we need an even number?)
2) Accretive value of SMU alone
3) 1+2
4) Accretive value of a different school, such as UNLV, Fresno State, Boise, Gonzaga, pick-one
If it means better TV deal and more money for us, Pac12 should expand and get SDSU and SMU.
And Cal should bolt to Big 10 as soon as chance arises.
I have to plug my ears and stammer "Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah". I just can't stomach the thought of the Pac being anything other than what I have known my whole life. Hard enough time accepting Utah and Colorado. I'm just heartbroken about the whole conference disintegration. For the LA schools to leave is such a big blow to my sense of West Coast sports. It's not something I'll get over easily or ever.
We're doomed
-Pac-12 probably
San Diego State, Arizona, and Colorado would all benefit from being Big 12 members. ASU probably should go and join too. Oregon and Washington are destined for the B1G, and Stannford and NC or Duke should go too.
Unfortunately Sdsu isn't worth anything in terms of media value. Sdsu brought in horrible ratings for their championship game, which isn't unusual. SDSU ranks dead last in MWC viewership, even lower than San Jose State. SDSU Football AND Basketball combined don't even draw half the viewers of Boise State Football. Heck even the NFL abandoned San Diego because it's such an awful sports media market. SMU would be a 4th best value in Dallas... No wonder the TV execs don't want to do business with you. The smart market play would have been Boise and BYU. But Pac 12 isn't proactive, their pride is too good until it's financially unsuitable. If AAU was so important, the Sec wouldn't be whooping your rear ends.
The pac 12 will figure out how to screw it up… trust me…. Still cant watch pac 12 network, had Directv , nope .. You tube Tv, Nope….
How would Apple price a Pac-12 subscription? Unlike MLS ($99/season, $15/mo) it would be a year-round product so I'm guessing a sub of $10-$15/mo? Of course, I would be happy for the OPPORTUNITY to purchase the Pac channel but I am not representative of the broader audience.
We still need some linear TV visibility for high-profile games but that can be subcontracted. I guess, the strategic question is to decide between 1) a smaller 5-yr deal with ESPN and other networks and take our chances in 2028, hoping teams more teams don't bail or 2) a longer exclusive streaming deal with Apple or Amazon and let them sublease some games.
If we can get near the Big-12 mark of $31 mil/school/yr then take the medium-term deal. If we can't, then we gotta go for a streaming package that can. Unfortunately, the Pac needs money now to stay competitive and doesn't have the luxury of promising a payoff down the road.
The problem with SDSU and SMU joining is they dilute the per school distribution. Even if the PAC10 matches the BIG12 deal the expansion would mean PAC10 schools will be pulling in way less then the BIG12, and then there's the exposure and viewership issues associate with streaming. This greatly impacts visibility and NIL sponsorships which equals to low recruiting ranks.
Fresno is a better add than UNLV.
Oh please -- the lack of expansion isn't what's causing the problem and I have a hunch you know that. If ESPN and/or Fox told the Pac they'd give a decent payout if they'd add SMU and SDSU it would have happened yesterday. The issue is what's left of the Pac 12 isn't worth as much as George has been trying to get, period. The Big 12 got their deal done in 3 weeks, but 9 months later the Pac 12 is still trying to match their deal after having apparently spoken to everyone except Telemundo (and who knows, they may have spoken to them too).
If you think people are going to buy your excuse that it's because they haven't added freaking SMU yet I've got a bridge that goes right by Alcatraz I'll sell you for $20.
Not surprised on how long this is taking. The deal has many moving parts, and I would bet a reluctant team of overlords (Uni Presidents) who will question expansion. (The Presidents have two concerns: 1) dilutive academic brand by adding non-R1 or non-AAU school, and 2) cross-country travel for SMU.) Add in the fact that UO and U-Dub would prefer a short-term deal....
If I was Pres, I'd be asking the bidders to make separate pitches:
1) Accretive value of SD alone (why do we need an even number?)
2) Accretive value of SMU alone
3) 1+2
4) Accretive value of a different school, such as UNLV, Fresno State, Boise, Gonzaga, pick-one
5) 1+4