This may be changing, and honestly only tells part of the story in terms of why the Pac-12 Networks is making so little money.
The major difference is that all the media rights aren't controlled by the conference yet.
Here's a chart showing you when it ends.
And here is a link for
what this actually is.
The Pac 12 networks aren't getting major money from USC, Utah, UW, Zona or even us yet.
The major shift will come in after June 2022 with Utah, USC, Oregon State, USC being the BIG one.
Then Arizona and finally WSU and UW in June of 2025.
What that will mean is that all the schools will sell advertising / ALL media rights through 1 entity for licensing.
That's a lot of leverage. No conference has done that or has that capability, and it could end up grossing a ton of money. A TON of money. Because large media buyers could buy media licenses across ALL the schools.
For example let's say I am Mercedes Benz or Land Rover, or Apple. or (pick whatever big company you want) and I want to advertise during college football in the Pac-12.
Now I could advertise just through commercials and what not, but let's say I want a comprehensive capaign with billboards at games, video ribbons, TV ads etc.
Before you couldn't do that. You would have to go and buy the commercial space, buy the billboard space (from a different company) and you could only do that at 1 place.
By 2025.... You can do that. For example if Coors light wants to buy some ad space they can (and will have to buy) ad space across ALL schools and platforms, and it will cost a lot more, but they will also get a lot more exposure too.
So instead of like 10 million for a commercial and maybe an ad spot billboard during a specific game.
That changes completely to Buy 10 million ad spot and 10 million for billboards across all games.
You should get the idea. The Pac-12 consolidating all media rights into 1 location is a big deal down the road.
So while the Pac-12 revenue now is small, it is only operating with partial media rights. When it can negotiate and leverage the entirety of athletics across the board it could make a TON of money.