HappyToBeADuck

Onboarding 2 to 4 schools is the easier course of action than onboarding one or two streaming companies. As we all know the PAC has been taking a lot of criticism because they dont have a media deal in place. When you are part of pioneering a new venture, i assure you it is not easy........ The other conferences had little trouble landing their deals because the linear broadcast industry is set in stone. This many TV sets, well then we pay this much money. Simple. The PAC 10 was told $300 million a year by ESPN. Thats what you are worth, take it or leave it. GK and The Presidents decided to explore all options. The BIG 12 and its commish and writers are full of .... They jumped the gun to get a new deal ahead of the PAC. Their conference is weak in footbsll and has very little fan interest outside of Texas. It took ESPN and FOX to work together to give thst pissant conference an extension that boosted their payouts by a measley $3 million a year. WOW. That sure narrowed the revenue gap against the BIG and SEC payouts. I have been very critical of the PAC and GK thru this process. However, i am going to cut them some slack and give them some cudos for this out of the box effort. They are boldly going where college football has never gone before. GK, the conferemce and the streamers are building the blueprint out of thin air. Hec, they are making yhis up as they go along. The streaming companies need games to broadcast. 2 expansion teams replace the home games lost from the 2 traitors departure. 2 more teams then will add 14 more home games to broadcast. Remember the more time zones the better for the streamers. ( I for one will stream SMU vs ASU on Saturday morning at 10 am pst) Both streamers need the PAC Network for quality broadcasts. They need camera operators, equipment and command centers. They need on field and on air talent. The streamers are probably needing the PAC to help them lay out the road map. Bringing this all together is complicated and rightfully takes time. However the PAC 10 has 3 things going for it that the BIG 12 doesnt have: OREGON - UTAH - washington Name me one brand in the new BIG 12 you would place ahead of these 3 schools for national recognition. The new deal will probably not be the very best deal. However, if this is set up correctly and the new expansion teams grow their brands then the next deal could be a blockbuster. Oregon, Utah or washington winning a natty wouldn't hurt either.......

This is the second BS article by this clown in a week. His source is always unnamed. UNNAMED..... IF u aren't in the room how the hec do you know that negotiations are floundering? Is your source a fly on the wall? For what it is worth because this writer is worthless, Wilner and Canzano have QUOTED PAC Presidents and AD's. Not unnamed sources. Common sense at some point should apply..........

Thank you Charles! Ir's a positive, refreahing take on Coach Stein and supports his ability to be flexible and creative. I really appreciated the take on his placing the players in an offense that the players can execute while being coached up. Imagine a team full of 2 stars and walk ons willing ro be coached up! Working hard to succeed and then accomplishing that on the field. Well done WS and staff. Now if DL and staff can work a miracle like that on the Ducks Defense! I truly hope that this star studded unit is willing to learn and work together. As,a fan, i would like to be excited when the Duck Defense takes the field...........

Thanks JJ....... SMU and SDSU need travel partners and immediate, end of season rivalry games. It bodes well for their financial health and great regional media broadcasts...... Fresno State and UNLV may very well be added to the BIG12, if the PAC passes on them. Would hate to see the BIG 12 get a foothold in the Pacific Time Zone. I wonder if any of the BIG 12 schools would head to the PAC if the money was right? Houston would be a smart pic, however it may not be in their best interest. Go GK....

Thank you P Duck for posting these 2 articles from Wilner. Really appreaciate you and all others who dig out these articles. These articles were refreshing because Wilner listed no "unnamed sources" So called expert sources who grasp onto anything to present the WOW FACTOR to get clicks. If you can't name the source then its just media speak on the BS barometer. Wilner, got on the record comments from 2 PAC Presidents. We learned nothing new, except that the sky isn't falling and the final details are close. The 2nd article was a Q&A with fans and Wilner answered them with what knowledge he had. The rest was Wilners opinion. Once the media rights and distribution rights are completed then GK will take it to the Presidents for a vote. Then we will see if any of the rumors by the unamed sources and the chicken .... writers is true. Fun times. Go Ducks in the upcoming BB conference tournaments.......

I find it so interesting that so called sources, who are not in the room with GK, network negotiators and others, are deemed credible or reliable. Have any of the so called sources been accurate on the PAC 10 info yet? Where were these so called sources when the 2 traitors were sneeking around betraying their business partners? They didnt know anything then and they dont know jack now........... When the ink dries on the media rights contract then we will all know.

Genuinely happy that this situation turned out positive for this young man. I like DL's swift response in both directions. Showed the team, staff and school that their is no tolerance in his program for any indescretions. Showed the team, staff and school that he can swifty act when he may have made a snap, knee jerk reaction. He did not let his ego get in the way. Well done..... Now lets turn this into a positive on the field. Mistakes will be made, however growth comes thru learning and overcoming our mistakes. I hope that GK and the 10 presidents can get their egos out of the way and learn from their mistakes! Too much to ask?

I really think that GK and the PAC Presidents could do a better job of informing their loyal fans. The Unity Letter was vague because all it said was the 10 teams are united and working together. My answer to that is 2 fold: Well i would hope you would be united and sticking together. All the good ships have sailed and none of you were on them! What are you united and sticking together for? And dont say the best media deal available. What is the conference short term, meduim term and long term goal? What does the conference want to look like in 5 years, 10 years, etc? GK can share the goals and vision without exposing critical information to suitors or competitors. I find it laughable that the BIG 12 can add 4 Group of 5 schools and its a stroke of genius! And when the PAC wants to add 2 G5 schools its a,sign of weakness.. Gk, pick the markets that make sense for media rights and expand. Get PK and his mega money friends to financially invest in the conference to heighthen the brand. Create a partnership that makes business sense. $120 million annually from Pk and business partners would bring each school $10 million a year above the media deal. Each school could invest in their athletic departments. Better coaching salaries, etc.... With some form of return on their annual investments. Naming righrs, free tuition for generations wtc. Its a new world when 2 conferences can purposely destroy 2 other conferences. Time for a new plan from those with smarts and money to help those who were purposely damaged.

Just curious. Did ESPN back out of their $300 million dollar offer? I cant find anything...... If not why are we having comnents about APPLE+ being the only place we can find the PAC? Is there an article that supports that APPLE+ is the only bidder? If ESPN is still on board, then take less money and stay put. If APPLE+ plus is the only bidder then the PAC is finished. Where to land? Who knows! PK should purchase the PAC Network. Settle the dust with Direct TV and become visible in 40 plus million homes. Whatrmever the fees and costs, well advertisers will pay the load. Expand into Texas for 3 reasons: Replace the 24 games lost to the 2 trairors. Midwest broadcasts Recruiting footprint OBD's need only to survive until the next round of expansion. When they leave the PAC will fracture.

Cant open James Crepea's comment. So can maybe someone expound on it. Also did I miss an announcement? DId ESPN drop out of their proposed offer to the PAC? So much junk floating around, its hard to tell. Reaching the beyond confused point.

Nice breakdown and analysis, Alex! In year 2 of Coach Lannings career we should see his process and hard nose culture take shape. Not just from the players but coaches, too! 3 of the 4 areas you covered should start improving with the over abundance of players during spring practice. Fierce competition just to make the aquad should bring out the best in these talented players 4th down and late game decisions will have to wait until the season starts. We know DL is a gambler and will take chances. So we will see if he improves. I agree with you and the previous posters that back up QB development and Defensive improvement are essential moving forward. Having a shut down D can help minimize risky in game decisions. Go Ducks! Nothing will help improve the PAC's National image like OBD's getting to and winning the Natty. The future is now........

Thanks P Duck. That was a informative read and lends some credence to the possible slow movement on the media deal. I have been thru a number of negotiations, expansion and business mergers. In the middle of one right now that may wipe out 44 years of business equity. Its business and sometimes this happens. Being a great listener and paying close attention to the other party is critical. At some point, it takes understanding what the other side REALLY wants and needs. This will be boring and maybe redundant but hopefully fruitful. ESPN valued the remaining 10 PAC members media rights at $300 million annually. Unless it has been pulled off the table, that is the media rights basement. That may be lower as the economy tightens. $30 million a school per year. So we have only heard that Amazon and ESPN+ Streaming companies are interested in the PAC. Maybe or maybe not, but lets say they are. So ask yourself, as a network executive for a streaming company, what do i need from the PAC? Streamers need good quality games and plenty of them. And i would need them in different time zones to maximize broadcasts.The remaining 10 PAC members cannot deliver enough quality games weekly to satisfy both streamers and linear broadcasters. Its not that the sky is falling, it simply takes time to put that together. Now remember the PAC told us media contract first then we might expand. Well that didnt work out. Perhaps the streamers told GK to go get more quality games for us to broadcast. Then the money will come. Just a thought....... JJ and PDuck are correct. Go big. Create a conference that consumers want to see. In most negotiations you reveal just enough, never your full hand. Let's hope GK has a few aces up his sleeve to fill his hand.

JJ this is a great, out of the box, vision for a expanded PAC! Others on this great Forum have proposed a number of interesting realignment plans. You are correct that the Oregon brand is strong and will stay with the PAC or land on its feet. But for the next 4 to 6 years, ESPN will cover every Duck game on the CHEAP. The 7th largest draw in college football for pennies. Ask your self, how did this come to this? I can give you 10 reasons why this happened. That would be the 10 Presidents of Arizona, ASU, Cal, Colorado, Oregon, OSU, Stanford, Utah, washington, WSU and Utah. Why would the Presidents who, rejected UT and OU (football blue bloods), who rejected the entire BIG 12 last summer and who have snubbed their nose at SDSU and Fresno State for years all of a suddenly decide SMU and UTSA are better fits than any of those schools? Think about this, these are the same Presidents who had all the top BIG 12 schools handed to them on a silver platter. Yet these 10 have made poor decision after poor decision and rejected them. Now the PAC goes after table scraps in the Texas media market. Perhaps and just perhaps, desperation may force them to exercise forward thinking. So JJ do you think any of these Presidents feel deperate, yet? Desperate enough to make a good decision?

In his article, Kramer brings up that the changes taking place will reshape the way we view and watch football. It probably will for the 4 traitors and their local fan bases. OU vs Georgia, Texas vs Bama, tOSU vs USC will capture a national audience. However with 16 plus teams in a conference how often will these match ups occur? Now 3 of the 4 traitors will have their share of 10-2 seasons and make the expanded CFP. What will their ratings be when they go 8-4. GEEZ Texas cant even win the BIG12 title against some fairly easy teams. The Longhorns havent won the title since 2009. OU won the BIG 12 muliple times but got destroyed in the CFP. Those 2 schools couldnt even beat TCU. We all saw what happened to TCU against the Dawgs. It will be a long road for UT and OU to be elite in the SEC. UCLA against anybody wont move the rating meter. Hec, Bruin fans dont watch, in mass numbers, when they play the Ducks. Bruin fans wont watch when their playing Purdue, Northwestern, Rutgers, etc. 8-4 will be a great year for bruin football. Will the west region watch? WIll you watch? The Bruins are not a national football brand! FOX and ESPN can try and dress up that pig but it wont fly. I have watched the Bruins and their pig stye travel companions when they werent playing the Ducks. Their games were relevant to the entire west region. NOT ANYMORE! Of course this is just my opinion. However, Kramer is right, it will change how i watch and view college football. I left any comments about usc out of my comments because they and their deceitful president are the worst kind of partners. They look you right in the eye and lie to your face. How do you feel when someone does that to you? Remember UT and OU were headed to the PAC 12. But the deceitful usc president and 2 other presidents voted no. This mess was avoidable. Adding OU, OSU, UT and TT to the existing PAC 12 the media revenue would have been $75 million annually to each PAC school. The PAC 16 woild have rivaled all other conferences Who in the hec votes no to that? I need to get some cheese to go with my whine. Perhaps I can eat my sour grapes instead of drinking them.

So many interesting takes on this thread. The potential or lack of potential for the PAC media deal appears to have set off a flurry of oponions and feelings toward the unknown. What i find interesting is the outcome could be any of those presented within the ODB Forum. Nonetheless we have no outcome, yet! Looking in the rear view mirror, perhaps the PAC Unity Statement was posted knowing the rumors would fly once the CBS/Turner drop out would leak out. The anticipation is telling and its not unreasonable to want a resolution. As soon as realization sinks in for the 10 presidents, well we might get a deal. However, i dont blame GK for pursueing every option. I refuse to shoot the messenger when options fall by the wayside. I do find it interesting how pundits, writers and usc jack wipes sing the praises of the BIG 12 media deal. They supposedly beat the PAC to a deal and left no money for the PAC! So the BIG 12 added 4 new schools to replace their 2 traitors. They now have a foot print in 3 time zones. They landed a big $2.6 billion dollar deal. Yet, if you read the original article, in this thread, each school will take home only $3 million dollars more a season. WOW! Only the weak minded, with absolutely no bluebloods in the conference would crow about that. GEEZ! WTH! Why, and I ask why would the 4 corner schools jump for that? Would you? Patience, patience and more patience. ESPN made a low ball offer and sooner or later in the ink will dry on that contract. If no other bidders generate revenue then anything can happen and the fur will fly!

This may be nothing at all in the long term. CBS and Turner may have been in 3rd or 4th place in the pecking order. Realizing that ESPN (Primary) and Amazon (Secondary) were in control of the negotiations. And that the left overs werent that enticing to their viewers. My best progessional guess (the one that means nothing) is that the PAC has an over inflated view of its value. Cal at WSU after dark is not a hot ticket. Or SMU vs Oregon State on Friday night? Will the Phoenix at Bay area fans watch that game? I dont know if I would watch? Maybe? Networks dont pay millions for maybe. Oregon, uw and Utah cannot fill every time slot. Thats not being negative its just a fact . If GK, just like Larry, filled the presidents heads with fantasy numbers that cant be reached then the sooner the better all parties negotiate in the real world. PS: anything that comes from a loser trojan, trojan site or anything from fox, cbs, espn, abc or turner should be taken as something that comes from the southend of a horse heading north.

It's difficult to know what to make of the PAC'S statement. We have been told for months that the 10 schools were united and working together for the best media rights package available! So what changed? What was the need for a "Unity Statement"? WTH... On the surface, the only change has been, now the PAC is more active on the expansion front BEFORE the media deal. Something must be going on behind the scenes that caused this statement to be released. Could be good, could be bad, could be nothing! But consider the importance of replacing 13 or 14 less home games due to the lost inventory from the departure of the 2 traitors. Those games are lost revenue that should be replaced. At the least, the expansion teams provide a bargaining chip in negotiations with networks. Either way, stay together, split up, expand or go alone! Just do something.......

Well Charles, thats a loaded question..... at this point there might be too many variables. The diminished PAC needs to replace 13 or 14 homes games to replace the loss of the 2 traitors. Those games constitute inventory value for the PAC in their media negotiations. For me, i had to face the fact that their are no glamour schools left to bring into the PAC. usc and ucla blocked the UT and OU expansion so the SEC picked up those powerhouse programs. I asked myself, what's left to get? I was unable to answer myself. Striking now, placing a PAC footprint back in deep So Cal and DFW, is a good move. Mid west content to sell the networks will bring dollars. Much needed dollars! Going on the offense to counter the BIG 12 is critical. The gamble is how soon can SMU become competitive? Do they have the top dollar donors for the type of NIL noney needed to entice some of the 4 and 5 stars to stay in Texas? And to come to SMU? Who the hec nows......... More important, do they have the money to pay for a top HC and staff. Only time will tell. The PAC, via poor decision making and being out manuevered by a coniving usc president, backed itself into a corner. Not many value choices left to the 10 presidents. As JJ mentioned in his comments, SMU and SDSU need travel companions. Why not add UTSA and Fresno State. Gain more foothold in Texas and keep the BIG 12 out of California. Viewers in the Cali Big Valley watch and love the Bulldogs. They dont watch the Cal golden bears. None the less, we are all drawing closer to the final results brought upon from bad leadership, bad decision making and the back stabbing traitors. Decisions have consequences. On other sites and from a few on this Forum, there has been mention of going after OK State, Baylor, TCU and TT. The same leadership that is trying to salvage this mess are the same leaders who said no when the BIG 12 begged for a lifeline. Think on that for a few...... I wonder who put the brakes on that? If GK advised the Presidents to pass on that expansIon opportunity because they could strike a bigger media deal without them. Then GK is not the right leader for the PAC.........

JJ, i agree with you that the Ducks will be fine no matter where they land. The Duck brand is strong... I have one concern, the Ducks must be visible from the 2024 season and beyond. This group of and future groups of 8-12 year olds have ro grow up dreaming of being Ducks. Some of those youngsters in SoCal will be future 4 and 5 stars on the football field and bb courts. You cant dream of what you dont see and know. Love your take JJ, just putting in my 2 cents worth. Go Ducks

For me, the potential for PAC expansion has gone from intrigue to to boredom. Maybe exhaustion! I don't blame the BIG 12 for wanting to breakup, break apart or even destroy the PAC. Afterall, the PAC 12 came within a whisker of bringing Texas and Oklahoma into the fold. The PAC media rights, with the traitors still on board would have sored north of $600 million annually. But for a very ruthless and deceiving usc president, who spearheaded the opposition, that valueable expansion move was negated. If that sure thing expansion, adding UT and OU had been okayed by 75% of the PAC, well the schools would be looking st $60 million a year plus in media rights. Roughly on par with what the 2 traitors will receive in their BS move to the BIG. Then when UT And OU bolted to the gift that is the SEC, the BIG 12 came begging the PAC 12 for a lifeline. Once again, you can guess who led the charge to say NO. The PAC presidents slapped the BIG 12 mrmembers in the face. A merger between the 2 conferences would have forced FOX to stay in the bidding process. More bidders, maybe more money. But dont blame the BIG 12 for retaliation. It appears that the 2 traitors were hell bent on destroying the PAC. High flying Larry did a lot of damage to the PAC but nothing like what the 2 traitors did. At least Larry was smart enough to invite UT and OU into the PAC. UT declined. The PAC presidents have made a number of bad decisions to reach this point. As a fan, I am frustrated and disgusted with their short sided view of their sports future. They have boxed themselves into a corner and run out of time to even make a good decision. In my lifetime, as a fan, i have invested time, money and passion into the PAC thru 7 decades.. I know I have no vote, or say in this matter. But i have feelings and a voice on this great forum. PAC presidents, i have moved from exhausted to disgusted with your decision making. Try to give a damn! As for usc and ucla presidents, Charles has rules in place that prevent me from expressing what i feel toward you. I love my Ducks and actually am Happy To Be A Duck. I will root for them whether they move to the BIG or BIG 12. Just know you jack wipe presidents gave them no choice when they leave. Sorry for this rant........

Superb description and analysis Charles. My family business has been built by throwing and slinging enough mud (or other stuff) against the wall to see what sticks. DL's defensive scheme and its success is predicated on the front 7 stuffing the run, either pressuring the QB off his mark or sacking the QB. It requires superb linebackers, including the freak on the edge. Getting off the field on 3rd and 4th down has been a challenge for the Duck D since the 2019 Defensive unit walked off the field. The Ducks offense can't score points or control the middle 8 if its standing on the sidelines. Watching DL and the defensive staff sling mud looking for those key players is better than watching Penix escape the pocket and sling it play after play downfield. The more chances the D allows the opposing offense to run plays the greater risk the Ducks csn lose the game. So sling all the mud against the wall that is needed to put those freaks on the field.

So many valid view points on this topic and a few other threads. The media moguls have probably made it clear what direction they want the PAC to take for expansion. GK is in Dallas for a reason. This trip potentially discredits previous statements that said we get the media rights first. Then we expand! It may be get your expansion lined out how we want it, then approved by the 10 Presidents, then you get the media rights. And that's okay. It may not be what many of us would like but at least the PAC may be moving forward on both fronts. All the moving parts are at least moving. Close the deal GK and lets get the future PAC rolling. Oregon is the brand that nationally drives the PAC bus. Having a game in DFW and San Diego every other year will boost recruiting. GO DUCKS........

Having just 1 school in Texas join the PAC makes no sense. It is not in the best interest of the student athletes, fans or whoever would be their travel partner. Why does the PAC appear to be so inept at anything pertaining to expansion? If ESPN/ABC want eyeballs then think big and go big. But make the Networks pay for those eyeballs. Consider SMU orTCU (Dallas Fort Worth) Houston (Houston ) UTSA (San Antonio) Texas Tech (West Texas Pan Handle) The Duck-Red Raider game will draw a million plus TV's in Texas. That 4 team pod would have a population base between 15-20 million people. That number is real and a solid bargaining chip. It would give ESPN/ABC viewing content in the midwest time zone to compete with Fox's BIG games. And add additional games for Amazon or ESPN+ to stream. Millions of Texans would watch Houston vs washington or SMU vs Oregon over tOSU vs Wisconsin or Penn State vs ucla. Football is regional and conference driven. That will not change, even with streaming. Texans are not interested in the BIG football conference or losers in the SEC! Texans support winners. If UT and OU don't win SEC titles then Texans will watch the other P5 schools in Texas. Back in the 80's, SMU was must see TV. They were ahead of the NIL curve by 4 decades. The other pods could be: Utah-Colorado-ASU-AU Cal-Stanford-SDSU-Fresno State OU-OSU-WSU-uw 3 time zones, minimized travel, some large viewing potential and large footprints for recruiting in Texas and California. The PAC could consider leading, instead of following. Being the first P5 to break ground with a mix of Network/Streaming is a great first step. It's time for the self proclaimed "Conference of Champions" to make championship decisions. Sorry for the rant........

For me, well i have no expectations because there are so many what ifs and unknowns. The PAC will be exciting to watch and follow. When is the last time the PAC had 6 teams who could win 10 games in the same season? I am confident the PAC will cannibalize itself. Key injuries can happen at anytime and cost a team a key game. I have very little confidence in the D. Period! While i feel they will improve over the 22 squad, i am not certain it will make a difference. The PAC will field a lot of NFL talent at QB. No margin for weak defensive efforts. With Bo healthy and running the show this team can go 11-1 with a loss to the Utes. 12-1 with a win over the huskies in the title game. If Bo goes down, all bets are off. Do we have a QB who can come off the bench and get in a shoot out with the Williams, Penix, Rising or others? No....... Without Bo, 7-5 or 8-4. The Ducks have 5 years of top PAC recruiting classes to field. But leadership both on the sidelines and out on the field are critical. Can't wait for the spring game....... I am confident in DL, his staff and Bo. It will be a season full of ups and downs and everything in between.

Thanks Charles for the article and you are absolutely correct that this is all about the money and very little about the players. Basketball and non revenue sports athletes will be flying back east, round trip every other week. Unless you provide the team with a private charter there are no direct flights to midwest college towns. Lot's of layovers for connecting flights. Constant air travel is a grind. So that can be added to the current challenge for student athletes. At least the portal will offer the players the opportunity to getout of a bad situation. But on the upside both ucla and usc get to play football in the G5 west division of the BIG. Not much challenge for football in that division. I imagine that top west coast talent grows up dreaming of a match up with Northwestern in late November....... Decisions have consequences.