College football expansion: Positive update on Pac-12 front, per report
The last piece of the college football realignment process could potentially be in place if the Pac-12 can secure a new deal for its member schools to prevent them from being poached by other conferences, especially the Big 12.
Now, there's some hope the Pac-12 can hold itself together as there appears to be an update on when the conference will have a new media rights deal in place.
ESPN college football insider Pete Thamel revealed that the Pac-12 is expecting to have a new TV deal set and done by later this spring or sometime this summer.
Why that's important
That's very good news for the Pac-12, which has been the subject of repeated expansion rumors as insiders have warned the league could lose members to rival conferences if it's unable to get enough money in its next contract.
With the bombshell news that USC and UCLA — the league's two premier brands based in the huge Los Angeles media market — there was some real concern that the Pac-12 would be unable to secure a valuable deal and lose more members.
The league's current deal with ESPN and Fox will expire at the end of this coming football season and insiders have noted that the conference has had trouble attracting media partners interested in showing the league's games.
It's believed the CW Network is in line to acquire the rights to Pac-12 football games and other sports, according to The Athletic. CW is moving into the sports market, most recently securing a deal with LIV Golf.
Big 12 in pursuit
The Big 12 has been public in its attempt to expand to the West Coast and increase its exposure in the Pacific media markets.
Reports connected the Big 12's interest to the two Arizona schools in addition to Utah and Colorado, the latter a former Big 12 member.
Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff took public issue with the Big 12's incursion into its territory, accusing that league of "trying to destabilize our remaining conference."
The heads of the two Arizona schools have denied any interest in joining the Big 12, but their remarks have given the impression that their remaining in the Pac-12 was highly dependent on that league getting a good deal.
Big Ten also interested?
And it's not just the Big 12 that has been moving in.
Representatives from Oregon and Washington have already been in contact with Big Ten decision makers about a potential merger, though none of these interests have materialized into any formal offers as of yet.
Stanford has also figured into the Big Ten's speculated interest given the school's international academic prestige, its media market not just in the Bay Area but nationally, and its devoted sports following.
More on college football expansion
Big 12 exploring "every possibility" in expansion
Coach thinks Pac-12 could collapse
Big 12 contacts four Pac-12 schools
Two schools respond to Big 12 interest
Pac-12 schools reacts to Big 12 rumors
(Thamel)
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