Pac-12 Officials Resist Apple’s Streaming Temptations
Anthony Crupi (Sportico) — Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff on Tuesday formally briefed the conference’s member schools on the terms of a proposed media rights deal, although no binding decision had been made by the time the meeting wrapped. While no official details of the proffered partnership are expected to emerge until after a contract is signed, insiders said the bidder under discussion this afternoon was Apple TV+.
The meeting lasted the better part of an hour, and while school officials have yet to decide on the primary suitor’s proposal, Apple’s offer may be up for a vote before the end of the week. If nothing else, the latest irresolution is in keeping with a process that’s dragged out for the last 13 months.
In the 392 days since the Pac-12 board authorized Kliavkoff to begin pursuing a new rights deal, the process has been fraught with uncertainty. The conference began sniffing around potential partners shortly after USC and UCLA announced plans to join the Big Ten following the 2023-24 academic year, and today’s presentation took place in the wake of Colorado’s disclosure that it intends to return to the Big 12 next year.
The winnowing down of the Pac-12 roster has undermined the conference’s previous expectations of what a new deal might be worth. While Kliavkoff & Co. initially hoped to come within shouting distance of the Big 12’s negotiated windfall of $31 million per school per year, the offer made to the Pac-12 is just south of $20 million a pop. That’s for an exclusive streaming-only pact, which could be augmented to some degree should Apple agree to sublicense a smaller linear-TV package to ESPN.
By way of comparison, SEC schools are slated to each receive more than $66 million per year as of 2024, when ESPN’s new $3 billion deal with the conference kicks in. Meanwhile, the Big Ten last year paid out nearly $59 million to 11 of its 14 member schools, with relative newcomers Rutgers, Maryland and Nebraska receiving a smaller cut than the legacy programs.
Unfortunately for the Pac-12, that cited figure likely isn’t sufficient to prevent other schools from jumping ship. Arizona is also said to be working on an exit strategy, and word around the campfire has had powerhouses Oregon and Washington eyeballing a Big 12 or Big Ten berth. (Officials from both Pacific Northwest schools have had informal discussions with the latter conference, although those talks have been characterized as 10,000-foot overviews rather than street-level dealings.)
At present, only nine football programs remain aligned with the Pac-12. Utah is one of the only members that has made an unequivocal declaration of fealty to the conference, as AD Mark Hanlan last month said the Utes had no intention of bolting. “We are a proud member of this conference and look forward to its future success,” Hanlan said during Utah’s media-day scrum. He made these remarks while seated just a few feet from Kliavkoff.
yahoo.com
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Interesting player updates from Lincoln Riley. Things are obviously looking good.
https://youtu.be/o7JDNuEOGmc
The future of college football:
https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/third-party-influence-may-soon-shake-foundation-of-college-football-impacting-conferences-programs/
Sources: Big Ten has begun preliminary talks to potentially add Oregon, Washington, Cal and Stanford Dan Wetzel (Yahoo Sports) — The Big Ten has begun exploratory discussions about expanding membership to 18 or even 20 teams, industry sources have told Yahoo Sports. The schools being considered are Oregon and Washington if the league adds two schools, and Cal and Stanford if it wants to move to 20. All four institutions are currently members of the Pac-12. The discussions are in the very early stages, sources caution. No decision, including on whether to expand or stay put at 16 teams,… Read more »
If that occurs, then Utah is totally hosed. It will need to go either independent or to the B12 (assuming BYU allows it).
The sports story of the year continues to have us on the edge of our seats.
Can’t wait for the next shoe to drop, whatever that is in this remarkable explosion of the Pac-12.
I have no idea of what comes next, despite 1000 reports out there trying to lead us along.
Disinformation is a powerful weapon. If you are sitting in the AZ or ASU seat, what do you do? If you believe that Oregon and WA are going to bail on the PAC (and they will if offered by the B1G), do you stay put? Or do you move first to avoid being left behind? What is really odd is what happens if the B1G will take only Stanford and Cal? And they might simply for the academic reputation of those institutions. I realize that UW is on a par with them, but Oregon clearly is not. Really weird time!… Read more »
You are right about him not being hired for the job. But place that on the worthless Pac college presidents who screwed the pooch to begin with and now have no way to fix it. I guess when you do nothing, you end up with nothing. Serves their lazy asses right. Pardon my french.
According to Utah’s Hanlan, “Titanic, she’s a fine ship — unsinkable, really. We have no intention of getting in any of those lifeboats!”
From Mark Harlan’s UTAH bio In his five years as Director of Athletics at the University of Utah, Mark Harlan has led the Utes’ athletics programs to unprecedented success in the classroom, in competition and in the community, while elevating the overall student-athlete experience and raising the bar in fundraising. Harlan brought to Salt Lake City more than 20 years of intercollegiate athletics experience at five different universities and a deep history in the Pac-12 Conference when he began his tenure in 2018. As he begins his sixth year at the helm in 2023-24, Harlan is guiding the Department of… Read more »
I guess there’s a typo in the article above — it says “Hanlan,” not “Harlan.”
Rock, IF BYU is blocking Utah’s entry to the B12 (as Allen suspects), Utah has no choice. It cannot go to the MW and it cannot go to the either the B1G or the SEC. What is left? The ACC?
If they want to sell their soul to the ACC for the next what is it, decade, then that could be an out. I do believe it takes more than one vote to keep you out of the Big12, but I am not sure about the by laws for the Big12. I do know the Grant of Rights stranglehold the ACC has on teams has become a huge issue. At least it has for FSU, who in my opinion needs to stay where they are until they become competitive nationally.
i know that Utah is an “unusual” state with BYU the home university for the LDS theocracy, but how can they as a private university exert pressure on a public institution like the University of Utah? Is it a political thing in the state legislature where most of the politicians are BYU grads and can screw over the Utes on public funding?
Everything is so fluid and mercurial now with both the Big 12 and the B1G apparently looking to absorb the on-its-last-legs Pac-9, that the musical chairs aspect of moving to a new conference has taken over. UTAH, at this stage, seems like a great school to bring into the Big 12, regardless of BYU’s hard-core objections. For instance, I’ve always read and felt that private USC was trying to block public ORE’s entrance into the B1G. But lately, especially after CU split and with FSU on the leave-the-ACC rampage, all I hear is talk about the B1G under its new… Read more »
The vast majority of the state legislature is LDS. But I would also guess the vast majority of the state legislators are Utah grads.
Interesting legislature make-up dynamics.
Do you have an opinion about what UTAH will do? The Utes seem like a potential odd man out when they should be anything but, no?
I believe they are. Both fan bases really want to play each other for ragging rights but refuse to admit it.
Utah really rubbed it in BYU face when they left for the PAC. Now it would be like crawling back and would rather not. But may have no other choice.
B1G isn’t going to take them but I actually think they should if they expand they could be competitive and a good pairing with Nebraska
I have a lot of respect for the usually dangerous Utes and wish them the best, however this all works out. I just hope USC starts beating them again.
I’ve always wondered why UTAH doesn’t get mentioned in B1G conversations along with ORE, UW, STAN and even always lowly CAL. You’re right. They would make a great NEB rival.
I have a good idea every now and then.
Been away two weeks on a out-of-country trip and when I return I find what I view as the biggest sport’s story of 2023 (the survival of the Pac 12) has become even more interesting. CO made what appears to be a solid business move in going to the B12. CO has accomplished nothing in the Pac, yet was able to increase its 2024 revenue profile by what appears to be 50% by leaving the Pac and moving to a clearly better run conference, with no penalty. My guess is AZ follows suit shortly. If I understand the Apple offer… Read more »
Solid logic, I agree all the way with you RJJ. Only caveat I’d add is that the B1G now has a new commissioner who may be more aggressive with expansion than his predecessor. He’s fairly new, time will tell.
I wonder why Utah is solidly standing by the PAC? Is it a case of “in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king?” Do they want to be the last conference champs of the conference formerly known as the PAC-12?
ATL, I think Allen got this one right about a month ago. BYU will block Utah going to the B12. Utah is staying because it has no where else to go. Absent Allen’s insight, Utah staying makes little sense.
It’s just a matter of time. They have hit the ice (when USC left) and now the rats are starting to leave (colorado). If Arizona and St know what they are doing they will move along to the big 12. That will force Oregon and Wash to flee to the big. Leaving Wa St and Or St to go where they have always belonged. Stanford and Cal should be invited to the big but who knows, maybe they see the light and get out of sports totally. Fitch just lowered USA bond rating……same type of children running that show. A… Read more »
Lane Kiffin — Happy #NationalGirlfriendDay
The dude is a playah! Gotta give him his props for dat.
He for sure is following in Orgeron’s footsteps.
A little deep dive into George Kliavkoff and I think I found out why he’s hip on streaming media contracts. All I knew before was his MGM connection. However, he worked for NBC and Hulu. He is streaming! He was CEO of Jaunt-XR a virtual media content company.
For a moment I thought he might be on to something of the future, but I think he’s looking at the wrong market. His background sounds like a gambler who has stumbled successfully up the ladder until he’s drowning. Can’t the PAC (?) do better?
24/7 has posted CBS’s way too early ranking. The usual suspects make up the top 5, but I am amused by where the rest of the conference came in.From 1 to 133 all teams are ranked.
#6 USC
#10 Washington
#12 Utah
#14 Oregon
#18 Oregon State
# 27 University of Westwood
#59 Washington State
#61 CAL
#62 Arizona
#73Arizona State
#85 Colorado
# 97 Stanford
And for fun other schools
#90 San Jose State
#92 Georgia Southern
#131 Nevada
Way too early
Wild rumor suggests Big Ten could add Clemson, Oregon, others by end of this week
Robert Bondy (Spartans Wire) — Could you imagine a world that has Florida State, Clemson, Oregon and Washington in the Big Ten? That’s apparently a possibility.
Jack McGuire of Barstool Sports’ Unnecessary Roughness podcast has stated the Big Ten “will add Washington, Oregon, FSU, and Clemson this week.” That’s a pretty wild statement but would be a lot of fun if it’s true.
yahoo.com
this is from the Barstool story and unless I am reading it wrong their claim is Oregon and Washington are the best schools in the PAC and that includes USC and ucla?
That would poach two universities from the ACC – arguably its top-two athletics programs – and two from the Pac-12 – arguably its best as well, even with USC and UCLA in the mix.
I think SC should extract some reward for allowing the ducks to follow the Trojans to the B1G. Didn’t SC specifically say that ORE should stay out of the B1G if SC joined the conference?
You are absolutely right. USC and ucla are totally against the northwest schools entering the B1G. Everyone projecting that Oregon and WA will be going to the B1G tend to forget that a vote by the conference members (USC and ucla included) has to take place. It has been noted that tOHS and MI do not want them either. That is four against right there. Now will the lesser schools in the B1G go against the big guys on this and have to give up some of the future income they have been promised? Best shot for Oregon is to… Read more »
It was said they would not grow unless the teams add value. Any other school being added will drain the other teams take. Unless they get those schools to take a lesser share for 5 years. That would be funny.
I keep trying to find out just when Barstool Sports became credible.
Okay so forget my previous post, having a hard time keeping track of the money.
Is this where we are for 2024?
SEC $66 million per school per year
Big 10 $59 million per school per year
Big 12 $31 million per school per year
ACC $23 million per school per year
Pac? $20 million per school per year
Looks pretty solid from a ballpark point of view.
I’m hoping the B1G # is higher. I’ve seen projections there as high as 70, but have no idea if they are currently accurate in today’s world, probably not. ✌
Sure looks accurate. Question is does the B1G want to dilute their shares any more until they get their feet on the ground with this latest expansion.
I’d think jumping on the NW schools would be betting against themselves. SEC won’t take them, not sure they have a home. When the B1G wants them, they’ll be available I’m thinking.
The drop is substantial after the top 2, no way the other conferences can keep up with quality coaches, facilities and players. Oregon and maybe UDUB will be even bigger jumping off points than they are now. Big12 will be perennial low seeds in the playoffs. The Pac champ will become in football playoffs like the 16 seed in March Madness.
I almost feel sorry for the PAC. But I really don’t.
Talk about a massive self-inflicted wound. The Pac-12 made every bad move that could be made, from blowing the great opportunity to bring aboard both TEXAS and OU in one fell swoop, to crapping all over major conference football bellcow (the only one!) USC when political support could have gone a long way to preventing the NCAA’s illegal Trojan punishment. Down went the entire Pac right with the Trojans! Just wildly dumb. Of course, treating no ambition CAL and other P12 sloths exactly the same way as elite football machine USC financially was a stroke of monumental ineptitude and greed.… Read more »
Well stated, Allen. A thousand upvotes to you, sir.
I feel exactly the same way Allen. I am amazed that the conference has kept these fat cat presidents on their payroll after their blunders and monumental amounts of money they wasted. But then, it is academia, nothing makes sense anymore.
Allen. You nailed. it. For some reason, the academics in the SEC and B1G got it right and the academics is the Pac got it terribly wrong. They choose Larry Scott (a conman) as their leader; he told them what they wanted to hear and they loved it lavishing millions on him for his “parity”, Conference of (Olympic and women’s sports) Champions branding, and his Pac 12 network. As one wise commentator said about Scott, when going into the Media business (opening the Pac 12 Network), Scott “did not know what he was doing, and did not know that he… Read more »
And add pride to denial and you have a truly fatal combo.