Pac-12 Merger with Apple TV+?

[M-I-Coug]

"What are blue-chip prospects from coast-to-coast doing all day, every day?"

"Looking at their iPhones.".

Pac-12 mailbag: Pros and cons of partnering with Apple TV, merger options and more

If the Pac-12 doesn’t have a deal by mid-March, the situation could turn fraught. Jon Wilner discusses the latest options, including Apple TV's pros and cons.

www.seattletimes.com

 

[roses04]

The traditional networks have been losing ground to online TV for years, and the trend will continue, watching TV on the internet and online streaming services is the waive of the future. Signing with Apple TV right now, may not sound right to many, but it is the waive of the future. Traditional networks and cable TV need to adapt if they wish to survive.

 

[cougcowboy]

The traditional networks have been losing ground to online TV for years, and the trend will continue, watching TV on the internet and online streaming services is the waive of the future. Signing with Apple TV right now, may not sound right to many, but it is the waive of the future. Traditional networks and cable TV need to adapt if they wish to survive.

I agree with your statements; my question would be is there enough money right NOW to keep the Pac 10/11/12 together? This is what Scott and the Presidents were waiting on happening and why they wanted to own their own network, but can we afford to wait for the Future? I don't know if anyone really knows the answer.

 

[95coug]

I agree with your statements; my question would be is there enough money right NOW to keep the Pac 10/11/12 together? This is what Scott and the Presidents were waiting on happening and why they wanted to own their own network, but can we afford to wait for the Future? I don't know if anyone really knows the answer.

It’s a strange situation. Nobody wants to sign a long deal and end up boxed in like the ACC. I’d bet that the move to streaming will be well down the road before the ACC can do anything in 2036. If I’m negotiating for the PAC-12, I don’t really want to talk longer than 4-5 years at most, so I can move to the streaming model. That’s going to minimize interest from the media and drive the price down, so what do you do?

 

[M-I-Coug]

The couple of Major League Baseball games I've seen on Apple TV, (like Friday Night Baseball), was by far, in my mind, the best production and announcers I've ever seen on MLB. They try to do an extraordinary job at production and product they put out there.

Essentially they'll improve the Pac-10, Pac-12 broadcasts, if they get the deal.

 

[95coug]

Whoever the media partner is, it may be increasingly viable to try some sort of alignment with the ACC (and I think the Big 12 would have to be included).

Not surprisingly, Clemson and FSU are agitating for a bigger piece of the pie, with the clear threat that they might leave if they don’t get it. They could buy their way out of the conference for $120M (which I’m sure they could afford), but their media rights would still belong to the conference…at least until they get a court to negate that contract.

The only way the conference ups their distribution before 2036 is if they add inventory. Seems like a good time to explore the options. Not sure it would create a distribution that made sense for the PAC-12 and also satisfied most of the ACC/B12, but it should be looked at. Otherwise my guess is Clemson, FSU, maybe Miami are in the SEC by 2027…and I’d guess 2-4 more west coast schools are in the Big 10.

Frankly, I’m not sure there’s any way to stop it.

 

[wazzucougs96]

The league will stay together because it makes sense to stay together. There are no other realistic options.

 

[BiggsCoug]

Whoever the media partner is, it may be increasingly viable to try some sort of alignment with the ACC (and I think the Big 12 would have to be included).

Not surprisingly, Clemson and FSU are agitating for a bigger piece of the pie, with the clear threat that they might leave if they don’t get it. They could buy their way out of the conference for $120M (which I’m sure they could afford), but their media rights would still belong to the conference…at least until they get a court to negate that contract.

The only way the conference ups their distribution before 2036 is if they add inventory. Seems like a good time to explore the options. Not sure it would create a distribution that made sense for the PAC-12 and also satisfied most of the ACC/B12, but it should be looked at. Otherwise my guess is Clemson, FSU, maybe Miami are in the SEC by 2027…and I’d guess 2-4 more west coast schools are in the Big 10.

Frankly, I’m not sure there’s any way to stop it.

The ACC should let them go before they get strong armed.

Some of these schools need to find themselves with a murderers row of a schedule to understand the value of running up their 10 win seasons on teams that have less funding. Make FSU go 4-8 a few years in a row and force them to recognize there is value in playing Wake Forest.

The leagues losing teams would be wise to black ball the teams that left. And yes that means ending the Apple Cup if the uw leaves. Fu’ck them.

 

[250vertical]

Whoever the media partner is, it may be increasingly viable to try some sort of alignment with the ACC (and I think the Big 12 would have to be included).

Not surprisingly, Clemson and FSU are agitating for a bigger piece of the pie, with the clear threat that they might leave if they don’t get it. They could buy their way out of the conference for $120M (which I’m sure they could afford), but their media rights would still belong to the conference…at least until they get a court to negate that contract.

The only way the conference ups their distribution before 2036 is if they add inventory. Seems like a good time to explore the options. Not sure it would create a distribution that made sense for the PAC-12 and also satisfied most of the ACC/B12, but it should be looked at. Otherwise my guess is Clemson, FSU, maybe Miami are in the SEC by 2027…and I’d guess 2-4 more west coast schools are in the Big 10.

Frankly, I’m not sure there’s any way to stop it.

The two most valuable pieces on the ACC board are North Carolina and Virginia. Two academic public ivies, flagship schools in large population, southern sports nuts states, and regarding the sec, no current member schools objecting adding schools in their states - like South Carolina and the Florida Gators opposing Clemson and FSU. What a tug of war that will be between the BIG 10 and the sec, with the slight probability that UNC and UVA go BIG 10. The BIG 10 presidents/chancellors will offer membership to those two ACC schools before any others. If UNC and UVA go sec, then the BIG 10 may go hunting for someone else. Or they may not. They are in a good position as is.

 

[etowncoug]

The ACC should let them go before they get strong armed.

Some of these schools need to find themselves with a murderers row of a schedule to understand the value of running up their 10 win seasons on teams that have less funding. Make FSU go 4-8 a few years in a row and force them to recognize there is value in playing Wake Forest.

The leagues losing teams would be wise to black ball the teams that left. And yes that means ending the Apple Cup if the uw leaves. Fu’ck them.

Prior to last season FSU wasn't setting the world on fire. Nor has Miami impressed. The agitation for change is all about $$$. I don't think a move to the SEC would change things much for these schools. They'll have a lot more money, but the record will be similar. Administrators take the cash 10 times out of 10.

 

[BiggsCoug]

Prior to last season FSU wasn't setting the world on fire. Nor has Miami impressed. The agitation for change is all about $$$. I don't think a move to the SEC would change things much for these schools. They'll have a lot more money, but the record will be similar. Administrators take the cash 10 times out of 10.

They are trying to leverage their pasts into more $$$ for their future. Both can get healthy quick with NIL $$$. Once in a super league I do not see all these teams running their records up to the level fans want to see. They will churn thru coaches.

 

[Loyal Coug1]

The two most valuable pieces on the ACC board are North Carolina and Virginia. Two academic public ivies, flagship schools in large population, southern sports nuts states, and regarding the sec, no current member schools objecting adding schools in their states - like South Carolina and the Florida Gators opposing Clemson and FSU. What a tug of war that will be between the BIG 10 and the sec, with the slight probability that UNC and UVA go BIG 10. The BIG 10 presidents/chancellors will offer membership to those two ACC schools before any others. If UNC and UVA go sec, then the BIG 10 may go hunting for someone else. Or they may not. They are in a good position as is.

Geez what a disaster. I had to look up AppleTv to find out what it even is. I'm telling you, the PAC needs to just circle its West Coast wagons, add SDSU and UNLV, and survive as a Power 5 conference. While most of it is about football, it's not ALL about football.

 

[etowncoug]

They are trying to leverage their pasts into more $$$ for their future. Both can get healthy quick with NIL $$$. Once in a super league I do not see all these teams running their records up to the level fans want to see. They will churn thru coaches.

Which will suck for the fans of those schools. But do you think the admins will care. TV money makes them less dependent on donations from alumni to fund the program. Means they have to interact less with the inferior rabble. Win/win.

 

[BiggsCoug]

Which will suck for the fans of those schools. But do you think the admins will care. TV money makes them less dependent on donations from alumni to fund the program. Means they have to interact less with the inferior rabble. Win/win.

This is a cash grab by university presidents. How the P10 has fuc’ked this up so badly is mind numbing. There are schools that will take down almost a billion dollars in tv $ over a decade…. and there are schools that will watch it happen.

Im serious when I say that the Pac 10 should be cleaning house in their admins. Blowing this opportunity at this much money is a fireable offense. Presidents, athletic directors, etc all should be out of work for fuc’king this up so badly.

 

[Loyal Coug1]

This is a cash grab by university presidents. How the P10 has fuc’ked this up so badly is mind numbing. There are schools that will take down almost a billion dollars in tv $ over a decade…. and there are schools that will watch it happen.

Im serious when I say that the Pac 10 should be cleaning house in their admins. Blowing this opportunity at this much money is a fireable offense. Presidents, athletic directors, etc all should be out of work for fuc’king this up so badly.

I don't disagree with what you say here. The thing is though, I keep going back to my broken record of eyeballs on TV sets. The PAC doesn't have enough of them. Yeah, some of this stems from the Pac-12 network's complete failure to get into enough living rooms (aka DirectTV). But if the networks don't want to give us Big-10/SEC money, it's all about THEM chasing the money. It is a capitalist society after all. We don't measure up. Which is fine - west coasters have lives, as opposed to the SEC trailer trash rednecks. Big-10, I dunno. They are more educated than SEC fans I guess, probably there are just more of them. And they don't have oceans and mountains and cool rivers to fish in on the weekends.

Bottom line, we just have to take what we can get, and make up for some of it by controlling costs (don't expand east of our footprint). Sell what we have to our recruits, including world class educations Try to raise more NIL money, much as that whole thing sickens me. I guess maybe if there was more transparency it would help my attitude. Are we just trying to buy QB's and RB's, or are we looking to basically modestly stipend the entire teams? I would donate to the latter.

 

[wazzucougs96]

Geez what a disaster. I had to look up AppleTv to find out what it even is. I'm telling you, the PAC needs to just circle its West Coast wagons, add SDSU and UNLV, and survive as a Power 5 conference. While most of it is about football, it's not ALL about football.

You being an out of touch dipshit is not at all surprising.

 

[cr8zyncalif]

I think it is pretty clear that at some point either the major networks will either have their own EFFECTIVE streaming options, or they will consolidate with someone who brings that to the party. ACC probably won't get hurt, because I can't see their media partner not having that capability 5 years from now. And I'd suggest that the same will be true for whom ever we sign with. The short term question is if it is possible to have a partial deal with both entities. I suspect that has been the root cause
of the amount of time that it has taken.

 

[Loyal Coug1]

You being an out of touch dipshit is not at all surprising.

Excuse me? I'm a dipshit? What is your degree from WSU? Mine is a BA in Business. I don't know what AppleTV is because I'm not glued to the TV.

You, my alleged fellow Coug, explain why I am an out of touch dipshit.

 

[BiggsCoug]

Excuse me? I'm a dipshit? What is your degree from WSU? Mine is a BA in Business. I don't know what AppleTV is because I'm not glued to the TV.

You, my alleged fellow Coug, explain why I am an out of touch dipshit.

I can’t wait to see this.

 

[CougEd]

Geez what a disaster. I had to look up AppleTv to find out what it even is. I'm telling you, the PAC needs to just circle its West Coast wagons, add SDSU and UNLV, and survive as a Power 5 conference. While most of it is about football, it's not ALL about football.

I think the Pac 12 would be smart picking off a Big 10 team. I would go after Nebraska. They are lost in the Bog 10, and all the money in the world isn't going to get them to play for anything and they are used to playing for everything.

 

[CougEd]

Excuse me? I'm a dipshit? What is your degree from WSU? Mine is a BA in Business. I don't know what AppleTV is because I'm not glued to the TV.

You, my alleged fellow Coug, explain why I am an out of touch dipshit.

I can't confirm or deny you are out of touch...

 

[BiggsCoug]

I think the Pac 12 would be smart picking off a Big 10 team. I would go after Nebraska. They are lost in the Bog 10, and all the money in the world isn't going to get them to play for anything and they are used to playing for everything.

The Pac should go after Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Northwestern, Illinois, etc…. None of those schools are competing for B10 titles. They are likely to be cut when/if the super league comes. Bank as much $ as you can now but keep an eye on what’s next.

WSU isn’t alone. There are a lot of Power 5 schools that could be looking for a conference. Before the Pac 10 starts taking MWC schools they should be looking at B10 and B12 teams.

 

[95coug]

The Pac should go after Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Northwestern, Illinois, etc…. None of those schools are competing for B10 titles. They are likely to be cut when/if the super league comes. Bank as much $ as you can now but keep an eye on what’s next.

WSU isn’t alone. There are a lot of Power 5 schools that could be looking for a conference. Before the Pac 10 starts taking MWC schools they should be looking at B10 and B12 teams.

I thought the same initially, but the B10 & SEC are going to be forced to keep some losers around to pad their schedules. They're going to pay the lesser schools to be cannon fodder on an annual basis, just to make the "premier" programs look good. I expect that even if it's a 24-team conference, they'll play an 8 game conference schedule, so that even the bottom feeders can pad their schedules with non-conference opponents and only need 2 conference wins to get to .500.

They may eventually cut loose the teams that are perennial cellar dwellers, and can't reach .500, but I think that sort of attrition is going to be pretty minimal.