The Pac-12 on Tuesday introduced it has expedited the method for negotiating its subsequent media rights contract — a transfer that each displays the present upheaval and creates a possible path to salvation.
At lunchtime, the convention launched the next one-sentence assertion:
“The Pac-12 Board of Administrators met this morning and approved the Convention to right away start negotiations for its subsequent media rights agreements.”
The transfer comes 5 days after USC and UCLA formally accepted invites to affix the Massive Ten beginning in the summertime of 2024.
Extra considerably, it comes as the ten remaining colleges pursue choices in different conferences, with the Massive 12 chief amongst them.
Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah are potential targets due to their geographic proximity, though Oregon and Washington — essentially the most invaluable soccer colleges remaining in both the Pac-12 or Massive 12 — seemingly maintain the important thing to the following iteration of school soccer within the western third of the nation.
Final summer time, when the Massive 12 was weak after dropping Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC, the Pac-12 determined in opposition to raiding the league for its high soccer applications — a transfer that allowed the Massive 12 to stabilize.
Now, it’s in place to presumably drive a stake into the Pac-12.
Whereas the so-called 4 Corners colleges (Utah, Colorado and the Arizona campuses) wouldn't add important media worth to the Massive 12, their arrival would add bulk.
If the Massive 12 added Washington and Oregon to create an 18-team convention, it might turn into the clear No. 3 within the school soccer hierarchy behind the SEC and Massive Ten — and forward of the ACC.
For that motive, the ACC might transfer so as to add members this summer time or think about an alliance with the Pac-12.
Previous to the thunderbolt from Los Angeles final week, the Pac-12 was anticipated to start formal negotiations with media companions later this 12 months for a contract cycle starting in 2024.
Casual discussions had been ongoing for months. Leaping to the formal stage now permits commissioner George Kliavkoff to hunt concrete presents from potential community companions and current them to the ten remaining colleges.
It additionally permits Kliavkoff to get artistic with growth situations and doable mergers or alliances with different conferences.
“George is daring,” a supply stated. “I’m curious what he’s engaged on proper now.”
Sometimes, media rights negotiations can take months.
On this case, the method doubtless will transfer rapidly — maybe days or even weeks.
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This text initially appeared on MercuryNews.com