A lot of blame gets tossed at various schools

[Ghost of the HEB]

But the TV network execs absolutely had the most influence in killing the Pac-12.
The inability to secure a linear partner (ESPN/FOX/CBS/NBC) is what killed the conference. With the apple deal said to have been between $21-$24M per school, it would not have taken much from a linear partner to match or surpass the Big12. And the presidents (specifically four corners) were fairly vocal that they wouldn’t leave if the $ was at least equal. Why did the networks completely shut the pac down? They’re willing to fork out $65-$70M per school in the SEC/B1G, but they can’t produce $10-$15M per school to keep the PAC alive? Yet they value 8 of the schools enough to pay them more $ in different conferences?

Regardless of your feelings about the PAC-12’s leadership, it definitely seems like an intentional effort from the networks to get rid of a P5.

[UteThunder]

It seems to have been an effort to trim the P5 fat. They got rid of the 4 historically weakest and least popular teams from the Pac-12 in this round. Look for further fat trimming of the worst teams in the ACC in the next round.

[Ghost of the HEB]

The expected linear aspect would also explain why we saw so many statements throughout the past year about high confidence in the PAC media deal surpassing the Big12. Seeing the linear deal the B12 secured with less valuable brands, and knowing of streaming options that would likely be around $20M, GK clearly counted on a linear partner that would easily push the deal past where it needed to be. Obviously, he didn’t count on the networks deciding they wanted the PAC to die.

[UteHorn21]

This right here is the exact correct answer. Schools are finally starting to learn, and those that still lament about the old days are bound to be left behind. Just like all of us that have careers, schools are learning that they need to be focused on being the best version of themselves and securing the most lucrative opportunities possible.

While the days of old envoke good feelings Cal, Stanford, Oregon St, Washington St have been in a power conference for over 100 years. They’ve had every advantage to take a step forward. But as you can see, some schools don’t care about being good at football. Cal and Stanford are all academics first and made decisions that reflect that. Oregon St and Washington St always acted like they were just happy to be there.

Utah should feel proud of themselves. They were moved up from the little leagues, invested and went all in and kicked ass. If they keep doing that they will be in the show. Leave the average schools in the dust.

[utefansince79]

I put the most blame on the TV networks. Combination of not making any reasonable media deals to the PAC12 and far too many late night starts where football games often end at 2AM and basketball games end at 1AM on the east coast.

They envision a future with just a couple enormous conferences making far more TV money than any other of the lower leagues and sadly that is where things are headed.

Almost like the divisions in soccer in England and most other countries but at least there teams in the lower divisions can finish a season near the top of the table and earn promotion into the higher levels.

[Uteusmc]

It just all sucks….

[EagleMountainUte]

It is about money unfortunately. It was a trim the fat type scenario. I still believe 100% it is a bad long term solution for SC and fUCLA.

[Dallas]

Why don’t we write fUSC?

[PhiladelphiaUte]

We should! They’re the reason 2023 will be the Pac-12’s swan song. We need to beat the Trojans above all others. We need to run up the score on their Home field, and utterly humiliate them on national TV.

fUSC

[The Miami Ute]

It wasn’t the TV network execs that killed the PAC. That honor belongs exclusively to FOX. The info I’ve read said that Apple’s final offer was $25M guaranteed and the rest coming from subscriptions to the PAC streaming package. If Apple sold 1.7M subscriptions, then that would match whatever any school would get from the Big 12 ($31.7M). If Apple was successful and sold 5M subscriptions, then each PAC school would get over $50M per year. That was a decent deal with plenty of potential to bet on yourself, especially once Apple’s marketing machinery started getting into gear. That was also the deal that the university presidents were supposed to approve on Friday morning. That is, until FOX saw the opportunity to put a spoke in Apple’s wheel, completely shut out ESPN from the West Coast, acquire the best remaining PAC brands at a ludicrous discount for the next eight years, and further buttress their investment in the Big 12 by acquiring the PAC best of the rest. Besides blaming FOX, I also blame Oregon and UW for stabbing their league partners in the back and, in a sense, showing cowardice in the face of fire. They could have bet on themselves (hell, Phil Knight could buy 5M Apple subscriptions without breaking a sweat) and been seen as the saviors of the PAC and also visionaries. Instead, they took a deal that pays them less than what Utah will be getting in the Big 12 for the remaining of the B1G deal with the hope that they can strike it big in 2031. Yes, 2031…personally, I don’t even know if college football will exist in anything like the present form in eight years.

[Central Coast Ute]

UO will only be getting less than Utah is for the first two years. They get $1m more per year every year until the new contract. They start at $30m. Also, going to the B1G was a long term play. Maybe they could have made more money through subscription escalators plus CFP money in the short term, but who knows if the B1G comes calling later?
Get made at UO for taking less all you want but I guarantee Taylor Randall offered to go to the B1G for a reduced share too.

[Xanthis]

NFL Sunday ticket as 2.5m subscribers. The PAC 12 would maybe get 500k. The deal wasn’t good.

[GameForAnyFuss]

This whole thing conference realignment thing started when Texas created the Longhorn Network. Blame Texas.

[Charlie]

I agree. The problem is college football is controlled by a few media companies that themselves do not work together. Each media company has a very short term self interest that is overwhelming. College football will continue to struggle mightily until there is a single entity on the athletic side that calls the shots for at least an entire division of college athletics AND has an interest in fairness throughout that division. Until then, media companies will serve only their on short term interest and college football nationally will suffer. College football, in general, will not be maximized and that will be more apparent over time. The question remains, can college basketball remain a single organized somewhat organization for D1 and avoid letting these football gods mess with it?

[Author]

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