No Pac-12 TV deal expected during conference media day: Yearlong pursuit of a rights package likely to extend into August
The Pac-12 TV deal has been a consistent topic of conversation, but it seems like we will not be reaching a conclusion soon.
Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger reported that the conference will not be announcing a new media rights contract at the Pac-12 Media Day on Friday:
"A timeline for a Pac-12 deal has been a moving target. Over the last several months, conference presidents have set deadlines for a deal, none of which have been met. The expectation is that the league will finalize a TV package before the 2023 season kicks off, but even that is a changeable date. One source described the most recent timeline as the 'near future.'"
The current Pac-12 TV deal is with ESPN and Fox and does not expire until July 2024. One potential holdup has been the departure of the USC Trojans and the UCLA Bruins as they head to the Big Ten beginning in the fall of 2024. That made the Pac-12 appear weaker without a national name in the conference.
What does the lack of a Pac-12 TV deal mean for current members?
This is not the first time that the artificial deadlines have not been met. The conference was expected to announce a television deal pre-July 1 and then during the Pac-12 Media Day. The remaining 10 conference members have to be scratching their heads.
There have been rumors of the Colorado Buffaloes leaving, and not securing a media rights deal by now is not a good look. It was to the point that even the San Diego State Aztecs were expected to join the conference until that faltered at the 11th hour.
The conference agreed to a grant of rights earlier this year, but it remains unsigned until a new Pac-12 TV deal was in place. With less than a calendar year remaining on their current deal, it is a little appalling to not see a deal in place, or even close.
This is another bad look for Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff, and he could be the one to die on the sword. The Pac-12 could be on the brink of ruins as it seems to be in a terrible position with media rights not to its liking to agree to a deal.
Without the ability to even secure the Pac-12 TV deal, can we begin to say this is the end of the Conference of Champions? Will there be another conference to surpass it in the Power Five?