Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff speaks at Pac-12 soccer media day on July 29, 2022, in Los Angeles. Kliavkoff and firm will likely be in Las Vegas Friday because the league assembles for its 2023 soccer media extravaganza. Damian Dovarganes, Related Press
Will a brand new Pac-12 media rights deal get finalized earlier than the convention meets Friday in Las Vegas for its annual soccer media day? Ralph Freso, Related Press
The Pac-12 may use a giant media deal announcement this week throughout the league’s soccer media day Friday in Las Vegas.
I hope it occurs and that each one the handwringing may be put to relaxation.
The league actually wants this after months of predictions of “quickly to be carried out” and guarantees that matching the Massive 12’s $31.5 million “could be a layup.”
It actually wants the dialog to alter to soccer. Will Utah repeat? Can USC go away for the Massive Ten with a title? Are Oregon and Washington ready to regain their respective momentum? Is Cam Rising prepared to begin in Sport 1? Can USC’s Caleb Williams and Oregon’s Bo Nix lead their groups to the Rose Bowl? What about Utah getting six gamers on the preseason all-conference first staff?
These are all headlines to be examined.
In any other case, the regular drumbeat of negativity continues.
The Athletic reported Tuesday that in line with a supply no new Pac-12 media rights deal will likely be introduced this week.
Guess we’ll see.
This previous week, former Washington QB turned broadcaster, Fox Sports activities analyst Brock Huard, referred to as the Pac-12’s state of affairs with media negotiations “very dire.”
Huard didn't mince phrases in criticizing how some Pac-12 faculties have dealt with themselves lately — from all the things to dedication to the sport to assist within the stands.
Stated Huard, “These universities, these campuses, broke the belief of those networks by not exhibiting up, by not caring. And albeit in among the locations like Palo Alto and Berkeley, they’d fairly not have soccer.
“Higher campus and a few of their management don’t even want soccer … and when you’ve damaged that belief, and these networks, who pay all the cash, they usually do all of the work, they usually’ve bought all of their advertisers, they want numbers. We’ve bought to have eyeballs.”
Ouch.
In fact, Huard isn't speaking about Utah’s assist within the stands. However there are traits with Stanford and Cal and they don't seem to be enlightening.
Jim Williams, a media skilled based mostly in Washington, D.C., tweeted this week simply how troublesome the league’s media negotiations have grow to be.
There will likely be case research carried out, books written, films made and songs sung about how badly the @pac12 has dealt with the optics of their media deal. Can there nonetheless be deal carried out that retains everybody collectively - sure, can they overcome these optics - sure.... However they want some constructive…
— Jim Williams (@JWMediaDC) July 18, 2023
“There will likely be case research carried out, books written, films made, and songs sung about how badly the @pac12 has dealt with the optics of their media deal. Can there nonetheless be deal carried out that retains everybody collectively — sure, can they overcome these optics — sure ... However they want some constructive information quickly and it might’t be we're near a deal.”
That could be just a little dramatic.
If the league declares its deal this week, places its magical spin on it, and if the league’s remaining 10 groups stick collectively all through the brand new TV deal, many will overlook and simply go on with life.
However, if a deal occurs and a college like Colorado doesn’t prefer it and bolts for the Massive 12, then there will likely be fireworks.
There are a lot of who imagine Colorado is poised to go away the Pac-12 very quickly. There was plenty of chatter on the Massive 12 soccer media days in Arlington, Texas, final week that a Colorado announcement is coming quickly, possible this week.
Barry Tramel, a veteran columnist of The Oklahoman within the coronary heart of Massive 12 nation, has continuously reported and repeated a declare that a valued supply within the league stated Colorado is coming.
BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe didn't straight provide any concrete particulars about convention growth for the Massive 12, however did say there's a time for such motion — if it occurs — after which it’s time to get on with soccer.
The implication was that the time and season for growth offers and discuss are closing. And shutting actual quickly. If one thing goes to occur and it hinges on a Pac-12 media deal or lack thereof, selections will in all probability be made sooner fairly than later.
That window is narrowing all the way down to days if Colorado decides to tug the plug.
Final week in Arlington, Massive 12 commissioner Brett Yormark was very guarded about growth discuss.
“We do have a plan and hopefully we will execute that plan earlier than later,” Yormark instructed reporters, making an attempt to not be particular. “I really like the competitors of this convention proper now …And if we keep at 12 (groups) we’re completely high quality with that.”
When occasions start on Friday on the Resorts World Las Vegas and Allegiant Stadium, it simply could possibly be probably the most anticipated media days in reminiscence — whether or not there’s a media announcement or not.
Perhaps the latter would be the largest information due to what dominoes will observe.
Will a brand new Pac-12 media rights deal get finalized earlier than the convention meets Friday in Las Vegas for its annual soccer media day?
Ralph Freso, Related Press