HappyToBeADuck

It baffles ne that ESPN is willing to let the West Coast TV market slip away. If Stanford, CAL, uw and Oregon move to BIG then FOX controls the 4:00 to 7:00 pm pst broadcasts. If ESPN had come to the table with 9 million or more for PAC After Dark on top of the Apple offer, then the PAC would survive the next 4 or 5 years. Something is not right with all this! How can sports broadcasters not want the media rights for 3 or 4 Top 25 Brands. Does this baffle anyone else?

Remember, last year when usc and ucla announced the 2024 move, a number of BIG Presidents were asked why they didnt take more PAC 12 schools? The reply was they didnt want to be directly resonsible for destroying the PAC 12 Conference. I dont think any of us imagined rhat FOX and ESPN would shut the PAC out of linear TV. There was no reason for GK to know that. Both FOX and ESPN are getting the PAC on their terms. They are business partners with the BIG 12! The Big 12 Commish is agressive because he has the linear money behind him. It is what it is! Remember ESPN offered $90 million for PAC After Dark games. Where Is that offer now? This is orchestrated by vultures who are circling for the kill. Good chance our Ducks will be making long distant road trips in the future......

Couple ot items: 1. Cable lost almost 6 million subscribers in 2022. The number is expected to be higher in 2023. The cost of cable, to suffer thru endless, mindless commercials is too high. Not to mention paying for 1000 plus channels that you dont want. 2. My wife told me she was cutting the chord on our $371.00 cable bill. We analyzed that we watched about 15 or less channels on cable. We watched Amazon, Netflicks and HULU and paid separate for their services. Thankfully, Charles suggested she wait until February to cut the chord. That way i could have CF thru the Natty. She agreed when i offered to pay all the monthly bill Come the Monday after Super Bowl Sunday, cable is gone. Fox, FS1 and ESPN will be gone and not receive our dollars. We add Apple to our other sibscriptions, along with our wifi/internet and be under $135 a month. Yes there are downfalls to the PAC being streamed. However you will be paying a streaming fee for ESPN within 5 years. Thats where ACC, SEC and G5-B12 will be also. How many of yoi have sent an email to ESPN and FOX to express your disappointment in their shut out of the PAC? How many of you have emailed them to let them know you will boycott their 2024 advertisers? You vote with your dollars! You can subscribe to Apple and boycott the cables advertisers. Or you can support them. For me, and not anyone else, my wife decided. Gosh I am a lucky, happy Duck

One of my longtime business associates, who hates the PAC, especially the Ducks and Huskies, called me to say that he thought the move to streaming was a good start for the PAC I told him to blow it out his ear hole and asked why? Especially that i wanted linear exposure He asked me if I had forgotten our basic business school lessons from the 60's and 70's? (Dinosaurs) He said to me, none of the linear players, who refused Tier 1 rights could or would negotiate until they knew what inventory content was available to bid on They didnt know if SDSU, SMU, CSU, UNLV, Tulane, BSU or any other school would be invited to the PAC. Time zones and content is a negotiating factor in the new world of CF. If the streaming deal gets done then the PAC can expand and take their content to market. Basic business 101. He, as usual, is right. Thats why he is a billionaire investor and i still work for my living. Let's see how this plays out. The PAC leadership has to have a Tier 1 Media Deal in place to keep moving forward. Also lets say Apple charges $10 per month. 4 million subscribers added is $40 million a month. That pencils out If you dont want to subscribe, dont.

FYI: OBDF members In reading articles from CBS Sports, SLC Tribune, USA, Peter Thamel ESPN, Yahoo Sports..... ■ The potential deal is streaming centric. With Apple being mentioned but not confirmed. ■ Incentive escalators for increase in subscribers. Thats a good sign in negotiations of any kind. 9 schools and the streamer working together to grow the PAC 9 Brand. ■ 2 different sources (in the room with names withheld) said the meeting was very positive and went well. Future meeting soon to hopefully come to final agreement. ■ Unclear if streamer was looking to bringvin linear partners or if the PAC would pursue that option ■ None, zero, absolutely no mention of money terms was disclosed to the media. I guess the know it all midwestern bloggers and media werent in the room ... This is a good step in the right direction. This is how negotiations work. Now the PAC leadership can come back with counter proposals or clarify concerns. Having recently gone thru 7 months of negotiations on our company merger, let me share with you this fact... ■ Every loose end detail, that the young, inexperienced people in the room were to ignorant or impatient to iron out has come back to bite us. Patience and a second dose of patience was needed ■ Who needs to listen to the dinosaur(with 45 years industry experience) in the room? I hope there are somr dinos in the room and not a bunch or chicken ....s like CU leadership. Consider this thought. This merger of schools (content) with streaming and linear partners is the first of its kind for college football. If you are standing on the bridge, hypothetically, ready to bail on the PAC, give this time to play out. Its a very good sign that there was enough meat on the bone for all 9 schools to want to meet again GO PAC! GO DUCKS.......

We could imagine that all 9 schools had to go back to discuss the details of the potential of the deal. For example, how many of the games will be streamed, how many will be linear? Does the deal provide enough exposure? What will the fans monthly cost be to subscribe? Will their be combo packages to purchase? How many schools will the PAC need to add to provide viewing content? Will the dollar amount increase with more inventory? I have to remind myself that this is the first of its kind deal. A,streamer having Tier 1 rights....... Lot's to digest....this could be a 7 course deal! If UA regents vote to leave the PAC then we know the deal may be short on revenue. Its amazing that nothing so far has leaked from the meeting? Cant wait for the know it all BIG, SEC and G5 big bloggers to give us the numbers.... GO DUCKS..........

It's amazing to me how far down the rabbit hole we as fans can go. Especially on rumors....... If you want more negative then dont read this post. You will be disappointed. I respect your feelings and posts. Its good therapy to get it off your chest. We all need it. Here's my rumor for the Forum and it has as much validity as anyone elses. Its positive so proceed with caution..... The combined deal of Tier 1 and Tier 2 rights will come in between $28 and $34 million per year. With a 3% to 5% annual escalator. Tier 1 will be a streaming company. The goal for the streamer is to bring in new subscribers. The PAC should be rewarded annually for the number of subscribers brought in over a baseline. The PAC should receive a % of any advertising dollars that the streamer may eventually use. I have no problem with commercials as long as the entertainers are rewarded. And commercial times outs are no longer than 2 minutes. And no more than 1 forced TV time out per half. SPOILER ALERT: ESPN will be part of the package. They are a sports broadcaster and the PAC 9 has quality sports programming. I decided to take a breath and consider that ESPN would rather have OSU vs WSU on PAC After Dark than BSU vs USU. Its good business, very profitable and ESPN will not vacate a broadcasting staple. Besides they getting it for cheap ESPN will be at the table. Their offer of $9 million per school a year is way better than the $3 million per year each school received from the P-12 Network. PAC After Dark has worked out well for ESPN and the cash strapped company needs high value programming. The streamer will share/sell or simulcast the PAC'S high profile games. CBS has interest in broadcasting those games on National linear TV. All the PAC remaining 8 schools (ungrateful UA can get the hec out) need to do is keep investing and growing the product. Strive to send 2 of the 4 top 25 schools to the CFP. Then invite 2 quality schools that want to invest and grow their brands. You know Utah, UA and ASU were begging the PAC for invites to the big table. Utah grew their brand. You can decide about the Arizona schools. I am looking forward to seeing this unfold

Gosh, another day, with no named sources, sky is falling, Armageddon for the PAC 9. No one knows the number except GK, The Committee and the Tier 1 Rights Holder. Unless they leaked it. I can wait a day or 2 and let this brew and then look at it. Then scream the sky is falling Ask yourself, why would Apple or any streamer waste all this time, then throw out a number that will be rejected? Unless they are part of 2 or 3 linear deals coming together to hit the mark. If streamers want to get into broadcasting CF, then they know the base market is set at $31.7 million. Goodness.........

This version of the Ducks O should be a top five offense. The receiving room will suprise many around the country. The offense will win 10 regular season games. Mid to late season, as the D and its freaks, gel the D will win 2 critical games for OBD's. The Utah and OSU games will take a complete game in all 3 phases for the Ducks to win. Charles, is my kind of crazy.12-0 regular season. Then a rematch against one of 4 opponents, either Utah, uw, usc, OSU. A win and off to face Georgia in the,semis. GO Ducks.....

Why would GK be making the presentation to the AD's? They aren't the decision makers....... Does this mean the Presidents /Chancellors have seen the numbers? Are these the numbers and details that CU saw and went running to the G5 landing zone known as the BIG-12? Not being pessimistic, just wondering why the AD's? Glad something might be happen to push this saga forward onto the tracks or potentially push it off a cliff. No matter what not everyone will be happy, including some members of this forum. GO PAC 9......GO DUCKS........ PS: I will be disappointed if we dont hang 50 on the Buffs........

I dont feel the quality of play in the PAC, nor because the fan interest toward our marginal teams is lacking. The PAC plays some exciting football, however it is difficult ro find, for alot of viewers across the country. Much of this I blame on the woeful decision making by LS and the Presidents in the beginning years of the PAC network. LS and the Presidents miscalculated the value of the PAC, repeatedly. Direct TV wanted to carry the PAC 12 Network and its 6 affiliates. The PAC Network wanted RSN (Regional Sports Network) status. It pays more money to the PAC That meant that ALL Direct TV customers would have to pay for the PAC 12 Networks, whether they wanted to or not. Direct TV didn't feel that SEC, ACC and BIG fans would want an extra charge for something they weren't interested in. Makes sense, so no deal was made. Also, the PAC 12 Network did not control the Tier 1 rights or all their games. Honestly, no games of national interest were on the PAC 12 Networks. Just regional broadcasts of interest to the fans of the teams playing. In 2018, after AT&T acquired Direct TV and Univrse, a deal was struck that would add 18 million plus subscribing viewers to the PAC 12 network broadcasts. That would have put the P12 Network at 37 million. The day before the announcement, AT&T added a condition to its terms. All 12 schools would have to make AT&T the on campus preferred telecom provider. This would hace cost each school millions but the 12 schools would have still split $37 million in the first year. It was probably a bad deal for the PAC schools and better for AT&T but the deal fell thru. The Direct Tv still would have paid more money for football ro the schools than the P-12 Network was paying the school for all sports..... Then in 2019 ESPN wanted to take over the P-12 Network and extend the media deal with the PAC thru 2030. ESPN audience was around 38 million. LS wanted to sell a 10% share of the P-12 Network for $500 million dollars. A ridiculous number so ESPN and every media broadcasting companies said NO. That included a NO from Fox... The PAC said no to ESPN, letting them know they could go to market and get much more money in a bidding war in 2023-24. So far that hasnt worked out very well. Once again the PAC leadership turned down a growth in viewership numbers on a national level. As a fan, you cant watch what you cant get. Now you can get games on Sling and other providers. But SEC fans, ACC fans and BIG fans aren't going to do that. Just like, OBDF members, they want to sit down, turn on the TV and watch a game on their cable subscriber. The landscape has changed and PAC leadership miscalculated. I wonder if ESPN and FOX are punishing the PAC for those previous rejections? You get the PAC available nationally and fans will watch. There is nothing wrong with the product and the exclusive late night broadcasts of the PAC 9 Conference

We all knew when usc and ucla announced they were leaving for the money that change was coming to the 10 remaining PAC members. What we didnt know was what those changes would be. There was no blue print or roadmap to go pick up at Office Depot that could navigate the course. We also had no idea the delicate financial condition espn was in and that fox really wanted to eliminate the PAC's options.. We never expected to be shut out of linear TV, except for the peanuts ESPN offered for PAC After Dark..... We dont know what streamers are offering or would offer to broadcast CF. We still dont have any idea because GK and the Presidents dont give a......(tinkers damn) about us fans. They give us nothing. We had know idea that GK had nothing concrete enough to give CU to keep them in the PAC. The story may be the same for UA. We do know the core of the PAC is still intact. That core has great coaches, great on field talent and 4 Top 25 schools on the grid iron after the 2023 season The core has great boosters, donors and workable NIL collectives. One core has the number 1 booster in CF. ALL POSITIVES....... The only negative is the PAC lacks top level leadership. Especially the leadership that makes decisions.

As long as the Ducks and huskies stay put the PAC will survive and thrive. Once the season starts, alot of this non sense will be behind us. Other than the fox and espn announcers bringing it up any chance they get. It doesnt suprise me that the G5 schools are applying to a P5 conference. The pay raise is substantial. The PAC can bring them in at $10-12 million per year for a few years before offering a full share. That's double or triple what they get now. Solid decisions going forward are a must for the PAC. CU and UA (maybe) leaving will not affect or bring aboit the demise of the PAC. Those 2 schools, except basketball are not the foundation or core of the PAC. SMU and SDSU will not only fill in nicely but bring fresh fan bases to the PAC. GK and the committee need to get the final numbers and submit to the 9. Sooner rather than later would be better. This slow walk, lack of urgency by GK and leadership is allowing Recruiting Comperitors to simply say: If you choose (insert a school), you dont even know if the conference will survive or even be on TV. I am certain the phone calls have already started. Let's hope that early next week means something.

JJ, I am on board for ACC/PAC merging in some fashion. JJ, how much power or say would ESPN have, going forward, if the ACC had 8 teams leave. From what i have read it would take 8 or 9 schools agree to leave. ESPN has the ACC on the cheap for 13 more years and very little interest in the PAC.... Somebody in the Media has to come up with the money to make this merger happen.......... The ACC and PAC have a real opportunity to be releavant and control their destiny. However, someone has to pony up the dollars .....I dont see the linear carries making this happen. Unless FOX takes control, thus shutting out ESPN from 3 of the 4 P5 remaining conferences. That leaves Streamers. The PAC cant bring the streamers to pen and paper, as is. How would the ACPACK be any different? A simple media deal and minor expansion is too much for the PAC leadership. A merger would probably be even worse. This conference, athletically needs ALL NEW LEADERSHIP......

I used to believe GK, the Presidents and Chancellors right up to last week. I took them at their word that they were sticking together until the terms of the media deal were presented. That word meant nothing to CU and probably means less to UA. There are less football mountains to overcome in G5 Big 12. Without knowing what GK presented last week its hard to fully blame CU or AU. At least until or if the whole story comes out. However, i believe in loyalty. The PAC extended and provided UA, ASU and Utah a seat at the big table. UA should show loyalty. But do they have integrity? Since the PAC members have very little sports business acumen I guess its every school for themselves. So at this point, I believe that UA is headed to the big 12.

Forgot about Rice as a travel partner as well as academic fit. Even though this is about athletics and not academics, the PAC brain trust is all about the academic fit. They are willing to let the conference slowly fall apart rather than adjust the rules. Hopefully, they dont die on that sword......

Crazyjeff, i like your choices and i would would add a few more because this is simply a wish list. My thoughts rarely coinside with the President/Chancellors.... but here goes. I must admit I am fatigued on this subject....... SMU should be the next team invited to get back to 10 . They are a more attractive member than CU ever was.. SDSU is a solid choice. I would bring in Fresno State to be a travel partner. This makes economic sense and can create a natural CALI rivalry with Stanford and CAL. Thats if the knucklehead decision makers want to get to 12 members. UTSA should be the next school invited to be SMU's natural travel partner and that brings us to 13 members. Utah needs a natural travel partner. So depending on the Tier 1 rights holder that could be CSU or BSU. Now we are at 14 members. For my impossible wish list I would add Tulane and Memphis as travel partners. This would take the PAC to 16 members. Now the PAC would provide games in all 4 time zones for their media partners. Of course their has to be a streamer company involved because FOX is actively manipulating the demise of the PAC. And ESPN is broke and up for sale. And it goes without saying that the PAC leadership will have a difficult time replacing the pissant juggernaut that was CU. Let alone making bold moves to rxpand the foot print. Gosh it was fun to dream for a few minutes.

Well it has become impossible for me to believe anything that any PAC President/Chancellor says. They speak but say nothing..... JC dropped the ball when the person in the CEO meeting said "Waiting to early next week" Wouldnt the next questions from JC have been: Waiting for what early next week? Are the media contracts and final deals being presented early next week? What is happening early next week? Now he may have asked and was told thats all he/she could say until early next week. JC could have shared if he had dug deeper. The only true substance in the article is that its taking to long and needs to end real soon. This person in the CEO meeting was not disclosing everything. Enough was said or not said about the deal/no deal that CU left the PAC.... The PAC leadership, along with bad timing has painted the PAC in a corner. For this fan, Fox-FS1 lose me after the Natty game. They were willing to pony up their share of 31.7 million for each of 4-G5 schoold and a PAC bottom feeder CU. Steal the top market in the PAC foot print and then tell the PAC they had no money or wouldnt be interested going forward. Maybe I am reading this wrong but i dont think so......

Some great comments in this thread. You can sense or feel the passion, hurt, anger and disappointment flowing thru the OBDF members First I must apologize to Dodd, Swaimm and some Forum posters for their insite on the CU move to the the 12. This apology should have come sooner but i had so many crows in my humble pie that it took 3 days to eat....... I guess at CU when your leadership team says, we are firmly committed to staying in the PAC until we see the media deal that they are not true to their word. However, CU may have drawn a line in the sand for something concrete by PAC 9 Media Days for details on the media deal. We can feel confident GK did not have enough substance to share and it was the last straw for CU........ IMHumblePieO, CU was looking to leave anyway and thats okay. Things just didnt workout for CU. Rocky Mountain High didnt blend well with Pacific Ocean Uppitty. I wish them the best going forward....... We learned a few things this week, too: ■ CU does not enhance the 12. The 12 has ZERO star brands. ■ The PAC was not enhanced by CU as a member ■ This Monday not much has changed for the PAC or the 12 compared to last Monday. The 12 gets nothing by adding CU and now 9 teams dont have a media deal. ■ SMU and the DFW market would be an upgrade over CU. ■ The only Star Power Brands between the 2 conferences are the Ducks and huskies. With the Utes rising fast. The Utes need a Rose Bowl or NY6 WIN...... As long as those 3 schools stay intact the PAC survives. If they don't, survival at the P5 level will be difficult for OSU and WSU. If, by some change of heart, the BIG invites (remember you need to be invited) UO and UW, then they will extend an invite to Stanford and CAL That wraps up all the major West Coast TV markets for FOX. Thus shutting out the financially strapped, ESPN. At this point Utah, UA and ASU get their invite to the 12. OSU and WSU are off to the MWC. If those 3 schools stay the PAC will survive. The only silver lining with CU leaving is that the PAC needs a 10th school before 2024 schedules must be announced. Maybe this will force the PAC leadership to do something. Of course, its difficult to bring in a new member without a media deal. You cant tell your new partner about the P5 money without a deal. The PAC can and will survive with some good decision making and good leadership. They have neither.....

Personally, i dont see that Oregon or any PAC school is in a position to demand anything of the BIG or any other conference. If the BIG/Fox had wanted Oregon or any other PAC school they would have made the invite last summer. I could be wrong because i love our Ducks but we are in no position to dictate terms. The PAC, including our Ducks were in the position to take control of their own destiny last summer. They could have taken 6 Big 12 schools of their choice and chose to publicly snub those schools Water under the bridge. .... If CU leaves there is more to this than we see on the surface...... ■ Maybe CU wants the PAC to expand into Texas and has found that no expansion is going to happen. ■ Perhaps CU got upset when the PAC talked to CSU about future expansion. Egos can be bruised. ■ We dont know that in the last 6 days one or more pieces in the media deal fell apart. ■ Maybe CU and its leadership is under pressure from big time boosters/donors. ■ Just maybe everyone at the table is in over their head. ■ Maybe this is just more click bait baloney. On the surface this appears very messy. However, it could all be going forward as planned. Nothing, and i mean nothing will move forward until the new partner deal for ESPN is finalized. The new decision maker will want the final say... Supposedly the deal between Disney and Comcast is nearing completion. Disney wants Comcasts interest in HULU. HULU is valued at $30 billion. There is chatter that Comcast will take some of that in large interest of ESPN. Controlling interest is unclear. The PAC and its media deal could be number 31 out of 50 items on the table of discussions. The deal will happen. If CU or AU are still in the PAC, then good. If not, thats their choice.....

Makes no sense unless the PAC deal that GK is presenting is just a wish and a prayer. Maybe to far down the road for CU to risk. Or just more BS... Even CU wants out then they should go. There contribution to the PAC has been what? CU will go where Prime wants them to go. The Big 12 offers a foot print in Texas. The PAC may not see the value. CU leaving wont end the PAC.

Its difficult for me to get on board with a potential PAC invite for BSU. They just dont meet the metrics for viewing numbers or academics. Yes, regional viewers may watch but will BSU draw Texas and SoCal viewers. Probably not? Tulane, along with SMU would give thr PAC a footprint in SEC and big 12 country. More viewers and more time zone broadcast spots. I enjoy BSU and rooted for them, in their big games. I can see how some on this forum would support them. Charles was spot on that we dont have enough inside knowledge, at this point, on what the PAC and Oregon future plans are. Remember, the PAC Presidents gave GK permission to explore 4 schools for possible expansion fit; SDSU SMU CSU The 4th school was a mystery.... Do any on this,Forum feel that BSU was the mystery team?

Thanks Charles for the step by step breakdown of JB's blitzing technique on this play in the Holiday Bowl. Running the video in real time truly showed how this blink of an eye swim move was executed perfectly. In slow motion you can also feel how suprised the UNC Offensive lineman was because JB blew by him. It was a thing of beauty....... With the addition of Burch and experience of the D line we should see an increase in TFL's and sacks. Bassa should have a field day this season. If OBD's want a CFP invite then Williams, Penix, Rising and DJU need to be sacked or chased off their mark. Let chaos run supreme for the Duck D in 2023!

Well the Beavers should just keep their mouths shut until they: ■ Make the PAC Title Game ■ Win the PAC Title game ■ Get a CFP invite ■ Win a CFP game ■ Play for the Natty That would be a,reason to smack talk. However, when the success of your season is measured by a victory over the Ducks...... What can we say.......... As for the fuskies? Well they will now move to the top of the PAC's most dillusional fan base as usuck moves to the most dillusional conference of all, the big! GO DUCKS......

Charles, you are correct that it never gets old. If it means a Duck victory then "Chunk" is a sound i can live with. Go Ducks.....the PSU slaughter cant come soon enough for this Duck fan.