Pac-12 media deal update: Learn what happened in the conference's latest media deal meeting
The Pac-12 has struggled to land a long-term media rights deal, leaving it as the only Power Five conference without such a deal. The conference's presidents and chancellors met with commissioner George Kliavkoff on Tuesday to discuss their options for a long-term deal.
On "SportsCenter," ESPN's Pete Thamel said:
"The good news to George Kliavkoff is that after a year of a protracted deal and missteps, he brought to the table today a potential deal with Apple. Sources told ESPN that the deal is a primary streaming deal, which could give schools some pause as a linear aspect was always going to be a critical piece of the deal going forward.
"With the Apple deal, they would align themselves with a prominent streaming partner and the money, although initially may be below where the Big 12 is expected to start in their deal in 2025, $31.7 million, there's potential through subscriptions via Apple TV to go past that Big 12 number. We're still in the hypothetical stage, a lot of conversation."
Check out Pete Thamel's comments on Tuesday's Pac-12 meeting below.
"The [Apple] deal is a primary streaming deal...the money, although initially may be below where the Big 12 is expected to start...there's potential through subscriptions via Apple TV to go past that Big 12 number." - Pete Thamel pic.twitter.com/tCby263NNK
Thamel added that negotiations could drag out longer as schools have not made a decision on exiting individually or joining forces in departure. While he does not expect anything to be resolved Tuesday night, he said that the remaining schools now have clarity on what the framework of a potential deal will look like.
George Kliavkoff offers explanation for Pac-12's inability to find a broadcast rights partner
The Pac-12 has been unable to find a long-term broadcast rights partner. Their inability to do so has led to the UCLA Bruins and USC Trojans leaving for the Big Ten and the Colorado Buffaloes leaving for the Big 12 in 2024.
Furthermore, the Oregon Ducks and Washington Huskies are being targeted by the Big Ten while the Arizona Wildcats, Arizona State Sun Devils and Utah Utes are reportedly in contact with the Big 12. Despite this, commissioner George Kliavkoff is not panicking.
Speaking with David Kelly of Wildcats 1920, he said:
"In the last three, six, nine months, the media companies and the technology companies have been in a very difficult financial place, so until they come out of that, it's difficult for them to write big checks. It's difficult one day to lay off 50,000 people and the next day agree to a big media rights deal. It's just not a good look."
Check out George Kliavkoff's comments below.
Kliavkoff added that the conference has not lost patience. He did, however, note the importance of balancing the Pac-12's stability as schools have become antsy about the lack of a deal.