Pac-12 Signs Media Deal for Record $2.7 Billion; Fox to Air Championship in 2012

Written for Chalk Them Up.
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On Tuesday, the soon-to-be Pac-12 conference signed a deal with two television giants, ESPN and Fox, to air their games for the next twelve years starting in 2012.

It is clear that this agreement, worth a total $2.7 billion according to sources, is evidence of Commissioner Larry Scott’s eagerness to thrust the new Pac-12 into the national spotlight as soon as possible. I think it was difficult at times for former commissioner Tom Hanson to establish the legitimacy of the Pac-10, given that the heart of college football is in both the South and Midwest, and some of the conference matchups don’t start until 9 or 10pm in those time zones.

Now, fans are witnessing the start of the business side of the conference’s expansion. The deal was made both in order to boost the Pac-12 financially and to raise awareness about the quality of the conference.

In today’s media age, it is critical for a group the caliber of the Pac-12 to stay competitive with college football’s other premier conferences like the SEC, Big Ten and Big 12 and this move helps achieve that goal. The players still have to perform well on the field and avoid becoming star-struck by the expanded coverage, but the platform teams and players have now been given is tremendous.

With the new television contract also comes a new Pac-12 Network, much like its counterparts for the SEC, Big Ten and even the University of Texas (Longhorns Network), the Pac-12 Network will feature both football and other sport’s teams on the conference’s various campuses, according to Commissioner Scott. So, while this is ultimately a decision made for the football programs, the benefits will also be felt on a wider scale by all Pac-12 athletic departments.

It was also announced that in addition to Saturday contests, there would be Pac-12 football televised on Thursdays and Fridays, which isn’t out of the ordinary anymore in either college football or the NFL, which holds a Thursday night tilt on NFL Network.

Nobody involved is complaining over the details of an agreement worth billions of dollars, but Scott had mentioned wanting to explore the possibility of Sunday games, should the NFL lockout continue into September and beyond, so not getting that is probably not exactly what he was looking for.

Fox will also broadcast Pac-12 contests across many of its cable and regional stations, and in my opinion they get the most immediate benefit from the deal. While the contract is not set to begin until the 2012-13 season for football, Fox will be allowed to air the first ever Pac-12 Championship game at the end of this coming season, according to sources.

This is a very important provision and initially I was worried that the inaugural championship would get short shrift given the time structure of the deal. While historical rivalries will be kept intact despite the new divisional system (the L.A. schools playing the Bay Area schools each year, for example), the biggest game on the Pac-12 calendar should be the championship, especially in its first year.

The agreement announced on Tuesday appears to benefit all sides: the Pac-12, TV networks, universities and fans. If nothing else, it shows that Commissioner Scott is not afraid to make big decisions that he believes will help the Pac-12 become the best conference in college football. It is well on its way.