Pac-12/Big-12 TRUTH...

[Charles Fischer]

Below is from today's John Canzano article and has the most truth, the most sense of anything out there right now.

 

Q: Fast forward to June 30. Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff has presented best media offer to Pac-12 presidents which has come in at $18 million per school. What happens next? 

 

A: $18 million? Per school? What happens next? Your alarm clock goes off. You wake up, nightmare over. I reached out to a source with direct knowledge of the Pac-12’s negotiations and asked “still feeling confident about beating $31.6 million per school?” The answer came back: “We are.”

 

Q: What is your gut feeling about the Pac-12 future? 

 

A: My educated opinion has not shifted or wavered — the Pac-12’s 10 remaining members will stay together. The conference will announce a shorter-term media rights deal that ends in 2029 or 2030. It will add San Diego State, and maybe, one other school (SMU). And we will do this dance all over again in five years or so.

 

Q: Any truth to the rumor about Colorado being iffy with the Pac-12? 

 

A: Let’s recap. Colorado athletic director Rick George has said numerous times that his school wants to be in the Pac-12. He told Jon Wilner and me in our podcast: “Why would you want to be in a conference where there’s 16 to 18, when you can be in a conference that is 10 to 12? Your opportunity, particularly when the top six-rated conferences have automatic (College Football Playoff) bids and the top-four have automatic byes, why would you leave?”

 

This week, he told Brian Howell of The Boulder Daily Camera: “You’ve got to believe about a third of what you see out there. We’re members of the Pac-12, we’re proud members of the Pac-12 and we’ve got to see where our media rights deal lands and where our conference goes. In a perfect world, we’d love to be in the Pac-12, but we also have to do what’s right for Colorado at the end of the day. We’ll evaluate things as we move forward.”

 

Is that a flip flop? The gloom-and-doom crowd may be reading it that way because they’re hoping and wishing, but I’m not going there. Unpack his words carefully. I hear George reiterating that his school likes being in the Pac-12, wants to stay in the Pac-12, and still needs to see the final deal. The AD is right — Colorado and every other school must do what’s right for itself.

 

I also think George might be pandering to the CU crowd that desperately wants the school to explore other options, particularly the Big 12. His comments walk that line. Remember, George also told Wilner and me that no Pac-12 school is leaving for a couple million more in media rights money. It has to be game-changing money to even be a consideration. For that reason, I don’t think Colorado is going anywhere.

 

GK at Pac-12 Baseball Tournament having more fun than negotiating with ESPN...

[Rufus]

Even if this is accurate, I don’t like the part about having to do this all over again in five years.  I’m done with the drama. Whatever is going to happen, I just want it to happen and be done with it.  

[DanLduck]

Thanks for the summary Mr. Fishduck.

I haven't given in to paying yet and I think Mr. Baldface has best insight on Pac12 business. 

[The Kamikaze Kid]

On 5/27/2023 at 11:43 AM, Rufus said:

Whatever is going to happen, I just want it to happen and be done with it.  

I hear you but I’m sure the ACC would much rather do it all over again in five years (Or right now) than just be done with it for the next twelve.

[DanLduck]

On 5/27/2023 at 11:43 AM, Rufus said:

Even if this is accurate, I don’t like the part about having to do this all over again in five years.  I’m done with the drama. Whatever is going to happen, I just want it to happen and be done with it.  

I feel the same, but the reality is college football will probably undergo some huge changes in the notsodistant future. Be ready for some major roller-coaster riding!

[Jon Joseph]

On 5/27/2023 at 2:43 PM, Rufus said:

Even if this is accurate, I don’t like the part about having to do this all over again in five years.  I’m done with the drama. Whatever is going to happen, I just want it to happen and be done with it.  

The worst thing Oregon could do at this point in time is to sign its grant of rights to any deal longer than 5 years.

 

5 years mean that the Pac media rights will be coming to the renegotiating table before the B1G, B12, and the SEC.

 

For the negative effect a long-term deal can have see the ACC.

Edited May 27, 2023 by Jon Joseph

[HappyToBeADuck]

I had to reread the article because i was confused. It actually contained common sense comments mixed with business considerations.

 

So unlike the nonsense garbage that media types, bloggers, podcasters and BS Specialists keep throwing out for mere clicks.

 

Fun stuff to read and ponder but totally lacking in facts. Some clown, a few weeks back sent out that CU was leaving to the big 12 immediately. I guess he knows more than the CU president.

 

As a fan, doom and gloom is easy to get worked up about. I have to check myself as more and more articles come out. We all have our own opinions and my view is strictly from a business perspective.

 

Consider this thought.....PAC 10 Tier 1 Media Rights package will be over $1.2 billion for a 5 year total package. That is big business, media types, bloggers and podcasters dont make business decisions. They sell fluff for clicks.

 

Both Canzano & Wilner have simply reported what little info that is available. When they express their opinion they let you know. They also name and quote their sources 

 

FWIW: Our little company partnered with a world wide manufacturing firm. In the process we purchased a portion of the manufacturing companies distribution network. We also sold off a portion of our distribution company to another company that fit their business model better than ours. This all took 11 months. It really was a simple business transaction. However, as the lawyers and bean counters dotted the I's and crossed the T's it got complicated and drug out. Time and patience were required.

 

What is happening for the PAC 10 has many more moving parts and its complicated. You have linear media entities losing subscriptions and rethinking the dollars they can spend in a contract. Advertisers will be paying less as we move thru a potential recession. 

 

To complicate matters, streaming live college football is an unknown. The groundrules are just now being formatted and written. For every question there are probably 2 more that arise. This is time consuming.

 

Then throw in a conference with 10 Presidents who have over valued their property. In my opinion the PAC lost 40% of its value with the socal sissies bailing out. The PAC should work to improve its brand and value. However facing reality is not easy.

 

This creates a very complicated situation with multiple players looking out for their own special interests. Very complex......

 

The facts will bring this to its business solution not speculation.

 

You know why no blogger, podcaster or media type reported on our business negotiations? FIrst, they didnt know or care about them. And second, they werent in the room.

 

Many fans, other conferences, bloggers, podcasters and media types certainly care about the PAC's future media rights. However, none of us are in the room 

 

Enjoy this wonderful weekend....

[Steven A]

On 5/27/2023 at 11:12 AM, Charles Fischer said:

GK at Pac-12 Baseball Tournament having more fun than negotiating with ESPN...

Hell, you could show him at his proctologist's office and use the same headline.

[NJDuck]

 Not sure if anyone read this from Jon Wilner posted earlier.  Good read as well to go along with John Canzano.

 

Pac-12 mailbag: No accountability for school presidents, the Power Five left-behinds, Cal’s fate, SDSU’s timeline and more

 

Pac-12 mailbag: No accountability for school presidents, the Power Five left-behinds, Cal’s fate, SDSU’s timeline and more

SPORTS360AZ.COM

---

<p>The Hotline mailbag is published every week. Send questions to...

 

[Jon Joseph]

Happy, are you telling me that business and economics have something to do with a media deal?

 

Who knew?

 

GREAT comment.

[HappyToBeADuck]

I had to reread the article because i was confused. It actually contained common sense comments mixed with business considerations.

 

So unlike the nonsense garbage that media types, bloggers, podcasters and BS Specialists keep throwing out for mere clicks.

 

Fun stuff to read and ponder but totally lacking in facts. Some clown, a few weeks back sent out that CU was leaving to the big 12 immediately. I guess he knows more than the CU president.

 

As a fan, doom and gloom is easy to get worked up about. I have to check myself as more and more articles come out. We all have our own opinions and my view is strictly from a business perspective.

 

Consider this thought.....PAC 10 Tier 1 Media Rights package will be over $1.2 billion for a 5 year total package. That is big business, media types, bloggers and podcasters dont make business decisions. They sell fluff for clicks.

 

Both Canzano & Wilner have simply reported what little info that is available. When they express their opinion they let you know. They also name and quote their sources 

 

FWIW: Our little company partnered with a world wide manufacturing firm. In the process we purchased a portion of the manufacturing companies distribution network. We also sold off a portion of our distribution company to another company that fit their business model better than ours. This all took 11 months. It really was a simple business transaction. However, as the lawyers and bean counters dotted the I's and crossed the T's it got complicated and drug out. Time and patience were required.

 

What is happening for the PAC 10 has many more moving parts and its complicated. You have linear media entities losing subscriptions and rethinking the dollars they can spend in a contract. Advertisers will be paying less as we move thru a potential recession. 

 

To complicate matters, streaming live college football is an unknown. The groundrules are just now being formatted and written. For every question there are probably 2 more that arise. This is time consuming.

 

Then throw in a conference with 10 Presidents who have over valued their property. In my opinion the PAC lost 40% of its value with the socal sissies bailing out. The PAC should work to improve its brand and value. However facing reality is not easy.

 

This creates a very complicated situation with multiple players looking out for their own special interests. Very complex......

 

The facts will bring this to its business solution not speculation.

 

You know why no blogger, podcaster or media type reported on our business negotiations? FIrst, they didnt know or care about them. And second, they werent in the room.

 

Many fans, other conferences, bloggers, podcasters and media types certainly care about the PAC's future media rights. However, none of us are in the room 

 

Enjoy this wonderful weekend....

[Jon Joseph]

And give thanks to those like the maternal uncle I am named after who was a tank commander with Patton and KIA at the Battle of the Bulge. 

[HappyToBeADuck]

On 5/27/2023 at 2:25 PM, Jon Joseph said:

Happy, are you telling me that business and economics have something to do with a media deal?

 

Who knew?

 

GREAT comment.

JJ, as you know business and economics can be like wind and water.

 

The linear business model of broadcasting College Football is solid, dense and deep. Proven, time tested and is the water.

 

Sometimes the economics can be like a powerful storm with diastrous winds. The winds of economics are currently blowing against the PAC. Uncertainty about future conditions can be a gale force wind blowing against you.

 

These negotiations are in a storm Which way the wind is blowing is the prevailing wind that settles this issue.

 

Sometimes we just have to ride out the storm.

[Jon Joseph]

On 5/27/2023 at 5:36 PM, HappyToBeADuck said:

JJ, as you know business and economics can be like wind and water.

 

The linear business model of broadcasting College Football is solid, dense and deep. Proven, time tested and is the water.

 

Sometimes the economics can be like a powerful storm with diastrous winds. The winds of economics are currently blowing against the PAC. Uncertainty about future conditions can be a gale force wind blowing against you.

 

These negotiations are in a storm Which way the wind is blowing is the prevailing wind that settles this issue.

 

Sometimes we just have to ride out the storm.

Following Pac media negotiations make us all Riders on the Storm.

[Dave23]

On 5/27/2023 at 3:36 PM, HappyToBeADuck said:

The linear business model of broadcasting College Football is solid, dense and deep. Proven, time tested

Streaming and most Internet related media is all about the views not the potential market. Bring these two things together has to be a nightmare.

 

It would be interesting if the media deal included a base sum with a royalty payment based on viewership number.

[Charles Fischer]

On 5/27/2023 at 4:15 PM, Dave23 said:

Streaming and most Internet related media is all about the views not the potential market. Bring these two things together has to be a nightmare.

 

It would be interesting if the media deal included a base sum with a royalty payment based on viewership number.

I believe very, very strongly that the viewership of the Pac-12 in all sports is so vastly understated with SO MUCH upside, that once a streaming element is added?  Our viewership will explode--especially Oregon's viewership on a global basis.

 

This will put the Ducks in a very advantageous bargaining position in five years when choosing between renewing with the Pac-12, or considering other conference offers.  Whoever we decide upon--it will be a boatload more than now.  Streaming over five years can manifest that upside of which I believe is there!

[David Marsh]

On 5/27/2023 at 4:30 PM, Charles Fischer said:

Streaming over five years can manifest that upside of which I believe is there!

And it would take a few years for people to get used to it as a destination for watching live sports content. 

 

It will be pretty telling how much streaming is growing based on the NFL Thursday night football numbers Thai upcoming season over last season. 

[12Duck72]

On 5/27/2023 at 11:12 AM, Charles Fischer said:

Below is from today's John Canzano article and has the most truth, the most sense of anything out there right now.

 

Q: Fast forward to June 30. Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff has presented best media offer to Pac-12 presidents which has come in at $18 million per school. What happens next? 

 

A: $18 million? Per school? What happens next? Your alarm clock goes off. You wake up, nightmare over. I reached out to a source with direct knowledge of the Pac-12’s negotiations and asked “still feeling confident about beating $31.6 million per school?” The answer came back: “We are.”

 

Q: What is your gut feeling about the Pac-12 future? 

 

A: My educated opinion has not shifted or wavered — the Pac-12’s 10 remaining members will stay together. The conference will announce a shorter-term media rights deal that ends in 2029 or 2030. It will add San Diego State, and maybe, one other school (SMU). And we will do this dance all over again in five years or so.

 

Q: Any truth to the rumor about Colorado being iffy with the Pac-12? 

 

A: Let’s recap. Colorado athletic director Rick George has said numerous times that his school wants to be in the Pac-12. He told Jon Wilner and me in our podcast: “Why would you want to be in a conference where there’s 16 to 18, when you can be in a conference that is 10 to 12? Your opportunity, particularly when the top six-rated conferences have automatic (College Football Playoff) bids and the top-four have automatic byes, why would you leave?”

 

This week, he told Brian Howell of The Boulder Daily Camera: “You’ve got to believe about a third of what you see out there. We’re members of the Pac-12, we’re proud members of the Pac-12 and we’ve got to see where our media rights deal lands and where our conference goes. In a perfect world, we’d love to be in the Pac-12, but we also have to do what’s right for Colorado at the end of the day. We’ll evaluate things as we move forward.”

 

Is that a flip flop? The gloom-and-doom crowd may be reading it that way because they’re hoping and wishing, but I’m not going there. Unpack his words carefully. I hear George reiterating that his school likes being in the Pac-12, wants to stay in the Pac-12, and still needs to see the final deal. The AD is right — Colorado and every other school must do what’s right for itself.

 

I also think George might be pandering to the CU crowd that desperately wants the school to explore other options, particularly the Big 12. His comments walk that line. Remember, George also told Wilner and me that no Pac-12 school is leaving for a couple million more in media rights money. It has to be game-changing money to even be a consideration. For that reason, I don’t think Colorado is going anywhere.

 

GK at Pac-12 Baseball Tournament having more fun than negotiating with ESPN...

I'm not trying to start an argument but who's truth are we talking about here? Canzano's? If folks want to believe everything he says is gospel ok fine. That's your choice.

 

Me, I don't know who his "sources" are any more than I know who's Dodds or Mcmurphy or anyone else's is.

 

Everyone is spinning a narrative including John Canzano. 

 

And yes, I know some of our fellow great commentators on this awesome site will point out they feel he's the most "accurate ".

 

But I could write multiple posts about how he's been wrong like everyone else.

 

Personally, for me, enough is enough already. If the deal is so great, announce a tentative agreement.  Stop with the garbage about "We are still dotting the I's and crossing the T's".

 

The BIG announced theirs and they're still working on it right?

 

If it sucks, let the schools decide what they want to do.

 

I don't care at this point either way but the fact we have heard nothing from GK about any of this lately is unforgivable. 

 

Say what you want about Yormark and Co. but at least they're out leading their conferences. Yes, part of leadership is the PR game.

 

I agree with you Charles,  Oregon is going to be just fine in any conference.

 

As I've said before, to those of you who believe the PAC can survive all this I  say "keep the faith brothers and sisters "

 

From where I sit there are alot of cracks forming in the dam.

 

Happy Memorial day to all my fellow veterans out there.

 

 

[1Funduck]

I'm going out on a huge limb right now!!

 

Oregon needs to play a noncon in Asia. China, Japan, Australia, India, every year for the next 5 years!! 

 

Can you imagine the groundswell? Promote the Brand and Oregon will be the most valuable by far of ALL college teams in 5 years. 

 

Don't believe me? Baseball anyone? NFL across the pond?

 

One would think in 5 years that Oregons value could very well reach $100 million with all those eyeballs. Opening game on a Thursday in week 0. They would own the World that week!!

[lownslowav8r]

No one except for a few higher ups in the PAC and bidders know for certain what is happening. What I do know is if folks are optimists or pessimists since the uncertainty allows us to project our base personality on the situation. 
 

I also know that the B1G announcing a deal that isn’t finalized is considered a major mistake. Already the deal which was supposed to be in the mid-70s is down in the mid-60s and has the potential of dropping further. 

I also know I don’t trust the noise, mostly generated by people and organizations (including one or more conferences) who wish to destroy the PAC. Canzano and Wilner for all their flaws and limitations are not in the group of PAC haters, so I give them more credence. 
 

We will know relatively soon. I hope we stay in the PAC. Having to move to a conference which has been actively working to harm the PAC and reduce the money Oregon will receive does not inspire me about Oregon’s future if that scenario plays out. 

 

Edited May 28, 2023 by lownslowav8r

[David Marsh]

On 5/27/2023 at 7:11 PM, 12Duck72 said:

I'm not trying to start an argument but who's truth are we talking about here? Canzano's? If folks want to believe everything he says is gospel ok fine. That's your choice.

 

Me, I don't know who his "sources" are any more than I know who's Dodds or Mcmurphy or anyone else's is.

 

Everyone is spinning a narrative including John Canzano. 

It comes down to who do you trust and who has earned that trust. 

 

I have found that I will tend to trust Canzano over other sources I'm not as familiar with most because they are usually outside of the pac-12s orbit.

 

Personally I find that Canzano, at least on his new site, has been rather measured and has done a great job with sourcing in other non-conference related stories. He often says he has sources that are from within many of the universities and I feel he has probably built those relationships to get some information. 

 

Now is he going to be right? Maybe who knows, we'll find out when it all finally goes down. But I don't feel he is going out of his way to sensationalize every tidbit of information he says. 

 

One of the things I find that is trust worthy is one of the lines where... 

 

On 5/27/2023 at 11:12 AM, Charles Fischer said:

A: $18 million? Per school? What happens next? Your alarm clock goes off. You wake up, nightmare over. I reached out to a source with direct knowledge of the Pac-12’s negotiations and asked “still feeling confident about beating $31.6 million per school?” The answer came back: “We are.”

It's a short response and it at least feels like it's coming from an source. Obviously we don't know exactly who the source is but it feels like a reasonable response. 

 

He's not giving us crazy numbers, just a comment. Now I know my personal bias is that I'd like to see the Pac-12 continue to exist. I've even gone on the record saying how he collapse of the PAC would be awful for the whole sport. 

 

Why the Pac-12's Survival is in Everyone's Interest

FISHDUCK.COM

---

We are firmly back in the off-season, and conference realignment talk is back in full force. There has been...

 

 

So I personally like the sound of that quite. 

 

Could Canzano be wrong? Absolutely!

 

Though he has really gone out of his way for this new venture of his to do solid reporting and knowing the clicks will come and not just create clickbait. 

 

Canzono has always been well networked. I know he rubbed a lot of people the wrong way when he was at the Oregonian and if you're one of the, that's fine, you do you. I'm just sharing my perspective. 

 

Go Ducks!

 

[12Duck72]

On 5/27/2023 at 8:57 PM, David Marsh said:

It comes down to who do you trust and who has earned that trust. 

 

I have found that I will tend to trust Canzano over other sources I'm not as familiar with most because they are usually outside of the pac-12s orbit.

 

Personally I find that Canzano, at least on his new site, has been rather measured and has done a great job with sourcing in other non-conference related stories. He often says he has sources that are from within many of the universities and I feel he has probably built those relationships to get some information. 

 

Now is he going to be right? Maybe who knows, we'll find out when it all finally goes down. But I don't feel he is going out of his way to sensationalize every tidbit of information he says. 

 

One of the things I find that is trust worthy is one of the lines where... 

 

It's a short response and it at least feels like it's coming from an source. Obviously we don't know exactly who the source is but it feels like a reasonable response. 

 

He's not giving us crazy numbers, just a comment. Now I know my personal bias is that I'd like to see the Pac-12 continue to exist. I've even gone on the record saying how he collapse of the PAC would be awful for the whole sport. 

 

Why the Pac-12's Survival is in Everyone's Interest

FISHDUCK.COM

---

We are firmly back in the off-season, and conference realignment talk is back in full force. There has been...

 

 

So I personally like the sound of that quite. 

 

Could Canzano be wrong? Absolutely!

 

Though he has really gone out of his way for this new venture of his to do solid reporting and knowing the clicks will come and not just create clickbait. 

 

Canzono has always been well networked. I know he rubbed a lot of people the wrong way when he was at the Oregonian and if you're one of the, that's fine, you do you. I'm just sharing my perspective. 

 

 

I guess that's part of my point David. Depending on where your leaning on this subject is who you are going to trust.

 

If folks want the PAC to stay together of course they're going to look at comments by Canzano and others as trustworthy or legit because that's what they want to hear.

 

Same goes on the other side. If people want the B12 to poach teams or the Ducks go to the BIG10 then they're going to trust writers like Dodd or whoever because that's what they want to hear as well. 

 

I've got no beef with Canzano, Wilner, Dodd, McMurphy, Scheer or anyone else you can name. I like to listen to all sides.

 

They're all reporters and all of them have sources. I just get tired of the "I don't agree with him or her so they're just fake news" that goes on in our public discourse. 

 

Anyway the sooner this is over the better in my book. Enjoy your weekend 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[HouClone]

On 5/27/2023 at 2:05 PM, Jon Joseph said:

The worst thing Oregon could do at this point in time is to sign its grant of rights to any deal longer than 5 years.

 

5 years mean that the Pac media rights will be coming to the renegotiating table before the B1G, B12, and the SEC.

 

For the negative effect a long-term deal can have see the ACC.

Not sure it is a good thing before the B1G.  Networks will be holding their money for the big fish, B1G.  It's similar to free agency where the the mid to lower level players have to wait until the top guys get their deal.

[HouClone]

On 5/27/2023 at 10:57 PM, David Marsh said:

It comes down to who do you trust and who has earned that trust. 

 

I have found that I will tend to trust Canzano over other sources I'm not as familiar with most because they are usually outside of the pac-12s orbit.

 

Personally I find that Canzano, at least on his new site, has been rather measured and has done a great job with sourcing in other non-conference related stories. He often says he has sources that are from within many of the universities and I feel he has probably built those relationships to get some information. 

 

Now is he going to be right? Maybe who knows, we'll find out when it all finally goes down. But I don't feel he is going out of his way to sensationalize every tidbit of information he says. 

 

One of the things I find that is trust worthy is one of the lines where... 

 

It's a short response and it at least feels like it's coming from an source. Obviously we don't know exactly who the source is but it feels like a reasonable response. 

 

He's not giving us crazy numbers, just a comment. Now I know my personal bias is that I'd like to see the Pac-12 continue to exist. I've even gone on the record saying how he collapse of the PAC would be awful for the whole sport. 

 

Why the Pac-12's Survival is in Everyone's Interest

FISHDUCK.COM

---

We are firmly back in the off-season, and conference realignment talk is back in full force. There has been...

 

 

So I personally like the sound of that quite. 

 

Could Canzano be wrong? Absolutely!

 

Though he has really gone out of his way for this new venture of his to do solid reporting and knowing the clicks will come and not just create clickbait. 

 

Canzono has always been well networked. I know he rubbed a lot of people the wrong way when he was at the Oregonian and if you're one of the, that's fine, you do you. I'm just sharing my perspective. 

 

Go Ducks!

 

I liked Canzano with his reporting on the Pac 12 Network and the debacles of Larry Scott.  A lot of research and insight was done by him.  This past year, his bias has hurt his objectivity however.  His accuracy has been off and his sources haven't panned out.  His dominos comment 2 months ago was way off.

[Jon Joseph]

Hickey: Turns out former B1G commissioner Kevin Warren might actually be a damn idiot

SATURDAYTRADITION.COM

---

Kevin Warren's parting gift to the Big Ten is a media rights contract that won't be worth as much as initially reported -- thanks to Warren.

 

[woundedknees]

On 5/27/2023 at 2:32 PM, Jon Joseph said:

And give thanks to those like the maternal uncle I am named after who was a tank commander with Patton and KIA at the Battle of the Bulge. 

My uncle was knocked on the Arizona... one of the first explosions knocked him into the harbor. He spent most of the battle using a floating spar to pull other survivors to safety.

[NJDuck]

On 5/28/2023 at 12:05 PM, Jon Joseph said:

Kevin Warren's parting gift to the Big Ten is a media rights contract that won't be worth as much as initially reported -- thanks to Warren

Might I add, this couldn't have happen to a better conference.  May they get what they well deserve.  My bad .  Bite my tongue.

[12Duck72]

On 5/28/2023 at 7:35 AM, Jon Joseph said:

With all due respect, you should have no beef with Canvano or Wilner. 2 reporters who have done nothing to spin the media deal in one direction or the other and have named every source cited in their articles.

 

Compare this to McMurphy and Dodd and many others who are stirring the pot to line their own pockets. Coming close to liable by reporting such nonsense as ESPN is no longer interested in a deal. This may prove out, which I very much doubt, but as of now, this is idle, unsourced speculation.

 

If the Pac was a public company the SEC could be investigating this flaming journalism to see if there was an orchestrated plan to hurt the value of the stock. 

 

Look at the issues the B1G is having finalizing its deal with three media companies that have all broadcast college football. Add to these problems an economy down from when the B1G went to the market. And going into negotiations the B1G also had the advantage of Fox owning 61% of the B1G Network. 

 

GK has or had a no-media partner financially insolvent network to sell and GK is attempting to bring on board a streaming entity that has never streamed college sports. And having to sell streaming to his constituents. 

 

I am as impatience and have as been as critical of the operations of this conference as anyone else has been. But my frustration does nothing to alter market conditions or ease the transition of college sports from linear broadcasts to being streamed.

 

There is a dynamic in the introduction of any new technology. IMO, streaming does not just have the potential to do away with linear sports broadcasting, as evidenced by ESPN's recent announcement that it is moving to stream all sports events, it will do so and do so sooner than later.

 

There were folks who calculated the risk and bought Microsoft stock when the company first went public. Today, we call these people billionaires and millionaires. First in on streaming could receive a similar ROI.

 

A Forum poster the other day suggested that the conference should go for a share of the revenue generated from athletic events being streamed. If I am on the streaming side of the table I might be insisting on this to protect my bottom line instead of offering a fixed dollar amount.  Either way, I think this was one heck of an idea but an idea that many tradition-bound folks will have trouble accepting.  

 

But now I am speculating so I'll zip it and wait for Godot to show.

The point I was making about Canzano was in response to David's comment about people not liking him for whatever reason when he was at the Oregonian. Don't know the man, hence I have no beef.

 

Regarding the rest of your comments Jon, this is what I was talking about. People are going to believe what they want to believe based on what they want to see happen. I'm not going to try to change yours or anyone else's mind. If you want to believe everything Canzano says is golden and he has no agenda, cool man. You do you.

 

My interpretation of facts stated by multiple people on the record is different than yours. That's life bro. If we all thought alike we wouldn't have anything to talk about right? I'm old school so I'm not even going to to wade into the streaming/cable talk so I'll have to leave that to you guys to hash out. 

 

But in the end, hopefully someday, this will work itself out to the conclusion it was meant to.

 

Remember when sports was a diversion from stuff like this? I miss those days....it's just sports after all. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

 

 

[Jon Joseph]

I certainly do not agree with all of Matt Hayes' takes in this article.

 

For instance, in 2026 I think we will have a 16-team playoff field precisely due to what Hayes has to say about the money.

 

And no way do I see a 12-at-large playoff field in 2026. After all, they may have the money but the B1G and the SEC only have one vote each when it comes to the structure of the playoff.

 

Hayes continues to believe that Oregon and UW will receive an offer, at a discount, from the B1G.

 

The B1G 10: Why Playoff expansion (and a new format) will fuel Big Ten expansion

SATURDAYTRADITION.COM

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Expect the Playoff to move to 12 at-large teams in 2026. That, more than anything, will lead to B1G expansion. Plus: B1G power rankings, best offseason addition, Nebraska's win total and more.