In a shocking turn of events, the Pac-12 conference finds itself on the brink of collapse. With Colorado’s departure to the Big 12, the conference’s future hangs in the balance. The passive leadership and missed opportunities have sent the conference into a tailspin, leaving its future uncertain as it heads into 2024.
Colorado’s Departure
Colorado, a Pac-12 school with a rich history and a level of impatience, has decided to return to its old home, the Big 12. The move comes after 13 seasons in the Pac-12, and the unanimous approval of the CU Board of Regents. The departure leaves the Pac-12 with just nine teams at the start of the 2024-25 athletic season, a significant blow to the conference.
Pac-12’s Future
The future of the Pac-12 is now more uncertain than ever. The conference had multiple opportunities to solidify its membership and grow, but instead, it finds itself fighting to stay alive. The Big 12, once considered unstable and perhaps headed towards failure, has now struck a blow destabilizing the Pac-12. The conference must now figure out how to keep its remaining significant teams, Oregon and Washington, happy.
The Media Rights Deal
The Pac-12’s media rights deal has been a contentious issue. The league had its choice of Big 12 schools twice, but both times, it failed to seize the opportunity. The league’s inability to get a media rights deal done in an early negotiating window last summer was a clear indicator of its diminishing value. The Big 12’s new deal with Fox and ESPN essentially took away ESPN and Fox as potential primary linear partners for the Pac-12.
The Future of the Pac-12
The Pac-12 must now double down and find a way to remain relevant. The conference’s proximity to Silicon Valley has always been an advantage, but the streaming giants that made the region famous have become a contentious discussion point. The lack of visibility on linear TV could rankle Pac-12 athletic directors and coaches. The conference must now find a way to land a media rights deal that relies on less than 50% of its dollars coming from the streaming platform.
The Pac-12 conference is at a crossroads. The departure of Colorado and the missed opportunities have left the conference in a precarious position. The conference’s leadership must now make tough decisions to ensure the survival and relevance of the Pac-12. The future of the conference hangs in the balance, and only time will tell what the outcome will be.