Is the Pac-12 actually this dangerous? Why the league has no TV deal with out USC and UCLA

Conversations with two well-placed media trade sources who weren’t approved to talk publicly about negotiations uncovered a number of the Pac-12’s battle to win gold as unlucky timing. There are a lot larger points at play than the dearth of buzz about Pac-12 soccer whenever you take Lincoln Riley and the prepare of five-star quarterbacks he’ll deliver to LA out of the equation.

First, the nation’s higher financial scenario is inflicting even the largest lenders to scrutinize their margins a bit extra. Within the media house, that’s true too, with Disney telling ESPN it must be extra selective than it has been prior to now. Thus, the expanded Faculty Soccer Playoff is up for grabs within the years to return. Collaborating within the marquees is paramount, and saving up for it merely means there’s much less to supply for one Pac-12 “After Darkish” recreation every week. As one particular person mentioned, the Pac-12 is a “nice-to-have”, not essential.

Fox can fill its late Saturday slot with Mountain West video games on FS1 and never should spend more money on the Pac-12.

Kliavkoff has mentioned since he took over as commissioner that the Pac-12 would think about streaming platforms like Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video, however streamers are at the moment shedding lots of of tens of millions of {dollars} a 12 months and gained’t overpay for the Pac-12. Even when Prime Video or Apple got here up with favorable monetary outcomes, both would lead to an excessive drop in publicity in comparison with the Pac-12’s friends whose finest video games are everywhere.

What good are a number of additional million a 12 months if recruits and followers don’t have easy accessibility to your product?

There are not any simple solutions for Kliavkoff, which is why his faculties haven’t any alternative however to be open to their future convention affiliation.

Within the brief time period, Kliavkoff should be certain that the newest provide he places ahead retains the Pac-12’s prime soccer applications related, even when the cash isn’t what he or his predecessor, Larry Scott, promised. Meaning ESPN or Fox should stay a companion.