Pac-12 TV Contract: Larry Scott Seeking 10-Year, $2.3 Billion Deal

Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott has promised the world to the member institutions he oversees, but with TV contract negotiations coming to a close, we’re beginning to find out whether he can deliver. Scott aimed for the stars in 2010 as he attempted to form the first superconference by luring Texas, Oklahoma and others to join him in forming the Pac-16. While the deal fell apart at the last moment, the Pac-10 added Colorado and Utah, becoming the Pac-12, all in an effort to position the conference in the best possible spot ahead of the current media rights negotiations.

An interesting note about the Pac-12 TV negotiations was thrown into the Wall Street Journal’s profile of the NBC merger with Comcast. The newly formed company is a player in the Pac-12 negotiations and Scott is seeking a 10-year, $2.3 billion dollar deal.

The Pac-12 conference is seeking a 10-year deal worth $220 million a year, plus a commitment to launch a regional sports network, people with knowledge of the talks say. Start-up costs for such a venture would likely run in the neighborhood of $100 million, most of which would come from the media partner. Negotiations are likely to conclude in the next few weeks

According to the report, ESPN, Turner and FOX are also involved in the negotiations. With the four major players in live sports all reportedly bidding on the Pac-12 media rights, Scott has a bidding war on his hands, and could take the conference’s deal from a laughing stock to the biggest in college athletics.

Stay with our Pac-12 TV contract StoryStream for the latest on the negotiations as more becomes available.

Big 12 TV Contract With Fox Involves Distribution Deal On F/X

The new Big 12 TV contract with Fox is about more than just money as Dan Beebe tries to get more eyes on his conference. If this sounds familiar, it should: Larry Scott desires the same result as he tries to balance a significant payday for Pac-12 schools to go along with increased exposure. On Wednesday, Fox gave us a sneak-preview of what its proposal to the Pac-12 could look like by revealing which of its platforms it plans to air Big 12 games on.

One of the biggest complaints about the current Pac-10 TV contract with Fox is the lack of availability both locally and nationwide. As it stands, the Pac-10 is confined to Fox Sports Network, now ROOT Sports in many places. Its equipment and broadcast production has been maligned and many have grown tired of the lack of exposure broadcasting just less than the entire slate of games brings. As it stands, there are more teams and games than available time-slots.

But all that appears to be changing and the newest Big 12 contract gives us an idea of Fox's plans to expand its college sports coverage. In addition to the Fox Sports Network, F/X will be brought into the mix to broadcast Big 12 games. The news comes from Sports Illustrated's Andy Staples, who adds a comparison between F/X and the ESPN family of networks.

More proof the Big 12 made a great deal. ESPN/ESPN2 are available in 99 million households. FX is available in 98 million.

Though F/X isn't known for broadcasting sports events, the distribution is already there. If Fox does win the Pac-12 contract, it's possible we'll see games on FSN, Fox and F/X, increasing the games available to a wider audience. When combined with the planned Pac-12 Network, the possibility of having every football and basketball game broadcast is certainly realistic.

There are other competitiors -- ESPN may be one, NBC/Comcast may be another -- but Fox appears to be putting its best foot forward as it makes a serious run at ESPN.

We'll continue to monitor the Big 12 contract and Pac-12 negotiations as more information becomes available in this StoryStream. For more on our local teams, check out CougCenter, our Washington State blog, and UW Dawg Pound, our Washington blog.

Big 12, Fox Agree To TV Contract, Perhaps Foreshadowing Pac-12 Contract

Television contracts are all the rage this college football offseason and the Big 12 became the first domino to fall on Wednesday. After losing two teams last offseason -- Nebraska to the Big Ten and Colorado to the Pac-10 -- Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe received assurances from Fox and others with regards to television revenue. On Wednesday, we found out just how much money the Big 12 will be making as Fox and the conference announced a new contract, set to span the next 13 years.

Though terms of the deal were not disclosed, Sports Business Journal is reporting the deal is worth $90 million annually, pushing the total television revenue to $130 million a year for the Big 12.

Financial terms were not disclosed. Sports Business Journal has reported that the contract, which starts with the 2012 football season, will pay the conference $90 million a year.
The Big 12 also has a deal with ABC-ESPN running through 2015-16 that would raise the conference's total TV rights revenue to a reported $130 million annually.

Fox will be the primary carrier for the 10-team Big 12, with ABC family of networks picking up secondary games for its national schedule. The deal also includes online, mobile and multimedia rights, allowing Fox to market the Big 12 across a broad array of platforms.

The Pac-12 is currently in its exclusive negotiating period as commissioner Larry Scott works to secure a new television contract for the expanded conference he oversees. Scott aimed high last summer, making a run at Texas, Oklahoma and other Big 12 schools in an effort to make a big splash and form the first 16-team superconference. Though he fell short, Scott did expand the footprint of the Pac-10, bringing Colorado and Utah into the fold ahead of the 2011-2012 season.

Reading the tea leaves, if the Big 12 was able to secure $90 million a year, the Pac-12 should be in a favorable negotiating position. With 12 teams, and a larger inventory of games, Scott has his sights set on a television contract worth upwards of $10 million per school. In addition to the primary contract, the Pac-12 will feature its own network, much like the Big Ten has now.

Coupled all together, it wouldn't be surprising to see Scott deliver on his promise, if not exceed it. With a contract worth only $60 million a year currently, the Pac-10 lags woefully behind the rest of NCAA at present. But with television contracts stretching into the billions, the Pac-12 is on the cusp of hitting it big, and all 12 schools are in line for a significant financial windfall.

Fox is a major player in the negotiations with the Pac-12, and holds exclusive negotiating rights as the current primary contract with the league. The network is placing a clear emphasis on college athletics, and Scott stands to benefit from what could be a perfect storm. The Big 12 deal announced on Wednesday shows Fox has money to spend, and is prepared to make an aggressive play as it expands its college inventory.

To check in with our local Pac-12 schools, head over to UW Dawg Pound, SB Nation's Washington blog, and CougCenter, SB Nation's Washington State blog.