The Big 12 Thrives While the Pac-12 Nose Dives
Another day that goes by in the college football world means another day without a media rights deal for the Pac-12 Conference.
The conference of champions (try saying that out loud without laughing) is still sitting there twiddling their thumbs hoping for someone to save them. And no matter how much of a spin job the west coast writers do, nothing has worked so far.
Not only did the Big 12 Conference get a media rights deal before the Pac-12 but they also got 100 million dollars from Texas and Oklahoma on the way out the door. When you compare Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark to Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff, it’s not even a comparison in my mind. Yormark is light years ahead of Kliakoff and has done more in six months than George has in a year and a half. Simply put, Yormark is playing chess while Kliavkoff is playing checkers.
Over the last few days, rumors have swirled between the Pac-12 and San Diego State as well as SMU. Whenever we saw George Kliavkoff at an SMU basketball game last week, you knew that he was desperate to make a move of some kind.
However, does anyone truly think that adding San Diego State and SMU will save the Pac-12 conference? Because I don’t. In fact, I think it’s crazy to think that. Maybe those two schools end up in the Pac-12 in the end but it won’t matter because it’s already too late.
There are only so many spots these major networks can fill with college football. ESPN has the SEC, ACC, and Big 12 games on TV while FOX controls the Big Ten and also the Big 12. And with the two Los Angeles schools heading to the Big Ten, what exactly is the value of the rest of the Pac-12?
That precious late nighttime slot is no longer in their control as the Big Ten will now have some late kickoffs with USC and UCLA. Also, the Big 12 added BYU which gives the Big 12 a late-night slot as well. Do you really think anyone wants to watch a Stanford/Cal game at 9:30 pm over a Big 12 or Big Ten game? Absolutely not.
The Pac-12’s only hope is that someone like Amazon or Apple overpays them. And even then, how many folks will be tuning in on those platforms to watch the Pac-12? Probably not very many.
On top of all this, The Athletic published an article saying commissioner George Kliavkoff has, “overpromised his members on how many bidders there would be and what dollar amount they could command — a target north of $40 million per school, according to one league athletic director.”
So not only is the Pac-12 a sitting duck, some athletic directors are growing more frustrated by the day with their conference leadership, and who can blame them? George Kliavkoff appears to be in over his head.
To make matters worse, take a look at this hilarious statement written by the Pac-12.
When I read that, this was the first thing I thought of.
This is usually the type of statement that has to be released when things are going south quickly. “United?” Give me a break. Oregon and Washington are still holding on to any hope they can to get that Big Ten invite while the Arizona schools flirt with the Big 12.
Remember that alliance the Pac-12 had with the ACC and Big Ten? What a joke that was. And how about when George Kliavkoff said this at Pac-12 media days last year.
“As for the Big 12 being open for business, I appreciate that. We haven’t decided if we’re going shopping there yet.”That aged about as well as a jug of milk from last July.
The Pac-12 looks to be spiraling downward towards an eventual impact with rock bottom, and when they get there, Brett Yormark and the Big 12 will be ready to do a little shopping of their own.
