Pac-12 Football: In George We Trust

[FishDuck Article]

There are a lot of hot rumors circulating around the Pac-12’s forthcoming media rights deal. Most of them are on the bad side. People are losing their sanity over the length of the negotiations because the assumption is that the longer they go, the worse things are. And, while that could be true, it certainly does not mean that it ...

 

Pac-12 Football: In George We Trust

FISHDUCK.COM

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Darren Perkins of FishDuck.com discusses how the future of the Pac-12 (or lack there of) is riding on the shoulders of Pac-12 commissioner...

 

[Smith72]

Thanks Darren for your calming insights!  Much appreciated.

 

I love your point about adding teams, "A nightmare scenario is to expand first only to find out the new teams add little to no value and drive down everyone’s slice of the pie." 

 

I agree there is no need to rush things.  Whether it is done yesterday or next month, it's best to cross all the t's and dot all the i's.  

[NJDuck]

Thanks Darren for the article.  As you pointed out, Pac-12 needs to be creative in order to survive.  Hopefully expansion will help along with a good streaming/linear media package.

 

Just to put things in perspective about Apple.  Apple tops any company, including Amazon and ESPN/Disney, etc.  Even if you combine Amazon, Meta and Alphabet, Apple is greater.  Apple is 454 billion dollars larger than Amazon and 90% of entire countries.  Don't have to read these below, but wanted to show the strength of Apple financials.

 

One area, I'm sure, Apple wants to and needs to improve immensely is in the media market. The iPhone manufacturer's value leapt by one trillion dollars in just 16 months, even though global economy shanked.

 

This is just my opinion, think about all those iPhones out there if Pac-12 is on the Apple TV app.  Yes, Apple needs to improve in the media market shares. If they are pushing to gain ground in the TV market world, how long do you think it will take for them to get there?  From what I can see maybe not long.

 

Whether Apple is involved in negations or not, they have the financials to out-bid any competitor, if so chooses.

 

At this point let's hope the Pac-12 will put together a decent media contract.  I would prefer a short contract, no more than 5 years.  Would also like to see incentives for schools who do make the playoffs, etc.  They should get a greater share of the money.  Maybe not get stuck in some enormous buyout if they choose to leave the conference.

 

The reality is down the road, shake ups might happen again with conference realignments, but at this point no one knows what the future will hold.

 

Apple Becomes 1st Company Worth $3 Trillion—Greater Than The GDP Of The UK

WWW.FORBES.COM

---

The iPhone manufacturer’s value leapt by $1 trillion in 16 months, even as the global economy shrank.

 

Apple's market cap is $450 billion greater than 2nd-place Amazon, its widest spread yet - MarketWatch

WWW.MARKETWATCH.COM

---

Apple Inc.'s undefined valuation is now $454 billion larger than that of Amazon.com Inc. undefined, the next largest U.S. company by market cap. That makes...

 

Apple, Amazon Wealthier than More than 90% of the World’s Countries | by Paul Dughi | Stronger Content | Medium

MEDIUM.COM

---

A new study by Clario Tech has analyzed which tech giants are wealthier than entire countries.

 

Apple is now valued more than Alphabet, Amazon and Meta combined

MARKETS.BUSINESSINSIDER.COM

---

Big Tech stocks have suffered after posting poor quarterly earnings, but Apple has outperformed after beating Wall Street targets.

 

[Charles Fischer]

It is great to have your voice of reason Darren, but something has always bothered me about the decision-making process of the conference.  University Presidents know very little about athletics, and yet they must make good decisions about them?  To decide media contracts?

 

It seems to me that the Athletic Directors would be much more suited to doing this, as they are bean counters who matter at each school.  Much more qualified for such decisions, IMHO.

 

[noDucknewby]

How dare you inject a bit of positivity into my off-season nihilism!

 

Seriously good points all, however I would disagree on the sense of urgency.  If the B1G gets a new commissioner prior to the TV deal being finalized, then their realignment "lull" could go by the wayside.  Until the GOR is signed there is little stability or unity regardless of affirming statements by conference.  You can bet that every AD is working on an exit strategy, and if not then they're not doing their job.

 

That said, my life philosophy has always been to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.  That certainly applies in this case.

 

On another note, I'm not thrilled about Apple TV primarily because it's another subscription I'd have to pay for.  I already have Amazon Prime, so that would be my choice for streaming, but that is from my selfish perspective.  It's hard to argue with the numbers, there are a lot of iPhones out there.

[Jon Joseph]

Thanks, Darren.

 

As always the proof will be in the pudding. 

 

GK was dealt a bad hand let's see what he will do with it.

 

 

[Haywarduck]

While I agree he is smart not to show his hand, it leaves us wondering what he has. I would say he has an Ace, OBD, a program which is always in the hunt. He also has a program which has always viewed themselves as a king, but has never won anything. Fortunately we got rid of a couple jokers, which will be turned into lowly number cards. The rest are tough to call.

 

How he plays that hand is purely speculation. All I see is a poker face, but we are yet to see him really play anything. The other side is also pure speculation so who knows how our hand will do.

 

Or is it a game of chess where two pawns jumped the gone and were taken. The king really can't do anything, and again never has. What is left is the queen who holds the most power, and probably should act that way. From the crazy mind of Hayward.

[Jon Joseph]

On 2/28/2023 at 9:37 AM, Smith72 said:

Thanks Darren for your calming insights!  Much appreciated.

 

I love your point about adding teams, "A nightmare scenario is to expand first only to find out the new teams add little to no value and drive down everyone’s slice of the pie." 

 

I agree there is no need to rush things.  Whether it is done yesterday or next month, it's best to cross all the t's and dot all the i's.  

However, the media folks buying inventory have to know which schools and their respective location is in the mix, no? If Houston for example was 'a silent partner' I think GK and the media provider(s) would want to know that the Houston media market was in the mix.

[Jon Joseph]

On 2/28/2023 at 11:45 AM, Haywarduck said:

While I agree he is smart not to show his hand, it leaves us wondering what he has. I would say he has an Ace, OBD, a program which is always in the hunt. He also has a program which has always viewed themselves as a king, but has never won anything. Fortunately we got rid of a couple jokers, which will be turned into lowly number cards. The rest are tough to call.

 

How he plays that hand is purely speculation. All I see is a poker face, but we are yet to see him really play anything. The other side is also pure speculation so who knows how our hand will do.

 

Or is it a game of chess where two pawns jumped the gone and were taken. The king really can't do anything, and again never has. What is left is the queen who holds the most power, and probably should act that way. From the crazy mind of Hayward.

In a way, I think the conference showed its hand with the (dreaded?) we are all-in and no one is leaving statement? Hopefully this declaration holds up.

[Jon Joseph]

On 2/28/2023 at 10:37 AM, Charles Fischer said:

It is great to have your voice of reason Darren, but something has always bothered me about the decision-making process of the conference.  University Presidents know very little about athletics, and yet they must make good decisions about them?  To decide media contracts?

 

It seems to me that the Athletic Directors would be much more suited to doing this, as they are bean counters who matter at each school.  Much more qualified for such decisions, IMHO.

 

LOVE THIS COMMENT! Is GK savvy enough in the college sports arena to negotiate the best deal? Are school presidents business people? Heck no.

 

I know that GK has a consultant working with him; I sure wish that former B1G commissioner Jim Delaney, now a consultant, was helping out.

 

I also think it would be prudent for GK to first run the new deal by Oregon and Phil Knight and UW and its equivalent of Phil Knight. These two schools are now the cornerstone of the conference and need to be fully committed to whatever the new deal might be. If this means a bigger slice of the pie for Oregon than for Washington State so be it. 

 

If a plan for disparate revenue shares had been in place perhaps USC would still be in the conference. I wonder how long SC, Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State are going to be happy getting the same share as Northwestern? 

[NJDuck]

On 2/28/2023 at 10:37 AM, Charles Fischer said:

It seems to me that the Athletic Directors would be much more suited to doing this, as they are bean counters who matter at each school.  Much more qualified for such decisions, IMHO.

Agree!

[Darren Perkins]

On 2/28/2023 at 6:37 AM, Smith72 said:

Thanks Darren for your calming insights!  Much appreciated.

 

I love your point about adding teams, "A nightmare scenario is to expand first only to find out the new teams add little to no value and drive down everyone’s slice of the pie." 

 

I agree there is no need to rush things.  Whether it is done yesterday or next month, it's best to cross all the t's and dot all the i's.  

Thanks, there are so many variables in this round of negotiations that it is just plain tricky. 

[Darren Perkins]

On 2/28/2023 at 6:55 AM, NJDuck said:

Thanks Darren for the article.  As you pointed out, Pac-12 needs to be creative in order to survive.  Hopefully expansion will help along with a good streaming/linear media package.

 

Just to put things in perspective about Apple.  Apple tops any company, including Amazon and ESPN/Disney, etc.  Even if you combine Amazon, Meta and Alphabet, Apple is greater.  Apple is 454 billion dollars larger than Amazon and 90% of entire countries.  Don't have to read these below, but wanted to show the strength of Apple financials.

 

One area, I'm sure, Apple wants to and needs to improve immensely is in the media market. The iPhone manufacturer's value leapt by one trillion dollars in just 16 months, even though global economy shanked.

 

This is just my opinion, think about all those iPhones out there if Pac-12 is on the Apple TV app.  Yes, Apple needs to improve in the media market shares. If they are pushing to gain ground in the TV market world, how long do you think it will take for them to get there?  From what I can see maybe not long.

 

Whether Apple is involved in negations or not, they have the financials to out-bid any competitor, if so chooses.

 

At this point let's hope the Pac-12 will put together a decent media contract.  I would prefer a short contract, no more than 5 years.  Would also like to see incentives for schools who do make the playoffs, etc.  They should get a greater share of the money.  Maybe not get stuck in some enormous buyout if they choose to leave the conference.

 

The reality is down the road, shake ups might happen again with conference realignments, but at this point no one knows what the future will hold.

 

Apple Becomes 1st Company Worth $3 Trillion—Greater Than The GDP Of The UK

WWW.FORBES.COM

---

The iPhone manufacturer’s value leapt by $1 trillion in 16 months, even as the global economy shrank.

 

Apple's market cap is $450 billion greater than 2nd-place Amazon, its widest spread yet - MarketWatch

WWW.MARKETWATCH.COM

---

Apple Inc.'s undefined valuation is now $454 billion larger than that of Amazon.com Inc. undefined, the next largest U.S. company by market cap. That makes...

 

Apple, Amazon Wealthier than More than 90% of the World’s Countries | by Paul Dughi | Stronger Content | Medium

MEDIUM.COM

---

A new study by Clario Tech has analyzed which tech giants are wealthier than entire countries.

 

Apple is now valued more than Alphabet, Amazon and Meta combined

MARKETS.BUSINESSINSIDER.COM

---

Big Tech stocks have suffered after posting poor quarterly earnings, but Apple has outperformed after beating Wall Street targets.

 

Good stuff. And, I think there is a "cool" factor with Apple, like Nike, that could help in recruiting. Maybe, somehow, within the rules of course, i-phones, earbuds, or other merchandise end up in players' hands. 

[Darren Perkins]

On 2/28/2023 at 7:37 AM, Charles Fischer said:

It is great to have your voice of reason Darren, but something has always bothered me about the decision-making process of the conference.  University Presidents know very little about athletics, and yet they must make good decisions about them?  To decide media contracts?

 

It seems to me that the Athletic Directors would be much more suited to doing this, as they are bean counters who matter at each school.  Much more qualified for such decisions, IMHO.

 

Very true, but as the top dogs at their schools, presidents want to have the final vote on such things. Ego. But, if they are smart, they will listen to all the thoughts and input from their AD's. I'm sure Mullens has the president's ear at Oregon. 

[Darren Perkins]

On 2/28/2023 at 8:42 AM, noDucknewby said:

How dare you inject a bit of positivity into my off-season nihilism!

 

Seriously good points all, however I would disagree on the sense of urgency.  If the B1G gets a new commissioner prior to the TV deal being finalized, then their realignment "lull" could go by the wayside.  Until the GOR is signed there is little stability or unity regardless of affirming statements by conference.  You can bet that every AD is working on an exit strategy, and if not then they're not doing their job.

 

That said, my life philosophy has always been to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.  That certainly applies in this case.

 

On another note, I'm not thrilled about Apple TV primarily because it's another subscription I'd have to pay for.  I already have Amazon Prime, so that would be my choice for streaming, but that is from my selfish perspective.  It's hard to argue with the numbers, there are a lot of iPhones out there.

Yes, Amazon Prime would be the preferred streaming service because they already are in the most homes, about as many as ESPN, actually.

 

I do like the "cool" factor with Apple which could help with recruiting. I could envision phones, earbuds, etc., ending up in players hands. All on the up and up, of course. 

 

As far as the timing, it does need to get done in March in my opinion, definitely don't want it going deep into the spring. 

[Darren Perkins]

On 2/28/2023 at 8:45 AM, Jon Joseph said:

Thanks, Darren.

 

As always the proof will be in the pudding. 

 

GK was dealt a bad hand let's see what he will do with it.

 

 

Yes, not an easy job, for sure. Yikes. 

[Darren Perkins]

On 2/28/2023 at 8:45 AM, Haywarduck said:

While I agree he is smart not to show his hand, it leaves us wondering what he has. I would say he has an Ace, OBD, a program which is always in the hunt. He also has a program which has always viewed themselves as a king, but has never won anything. Fortunately we got rid of a couple jokers, which will be turned into lowly number cards. The rest are tough to call.

 

How he plays that hand is purely speculation. All I see is a poker face, but we are yet to see him really play anything. The other side is also pure speculation so who knows how our hand will do.

 

Or is it a game of chess where two pawns jumped the gone and were taken. The king really can't do anything, and again never has. What is left is the queen who holds the most power, and probably should act that way. From the crazy mind of Hayward.

Thanks. For all we know, George expands by 4 teams and brings in Houston and Unlv on top of Smu and SD St. He could have had a sneaky meeting with Houston when he was in Texas to visit SMU. The SMU visit was the red herring. Of course, now I'm sounding as crazy as all the negative theories out there but in a positive way. Could it be a home run? Could it all fall apart? Bottom line: We'll know when we know. 

[Darren Perkins]

On 2/28/2023 at 8:48 AM, Jon Joseph said:

However, the media folks buying inventory have to know which schools and their respective location is in the mix, no? If Houston for example was 'a silent partner' I think GK and the media provider(s) would want to know that the Houston media market was in the mix.

I agree, Jon. But he could be negotiating different scenarios with the media companies. How much can we get if we stay put? How much if we add teams A and B? How much if we add teams A, B, C, and D? I for one would want to know what I can get before expanding. 

[Darren Perkins]

On 2/28/2023 at 8:50 AM, Jon Joseph said:

In a way, I think the conference showed its hand with the (dreaded?) we are all-in and no one is leaving statement? Hopefully this declaration holds up.

 

On 2/28/2023 at 8:59 AM, Jon Joseph said:

LOVE THIS COMMENT! Is GK savvy enough in the college sports arena to negotiate the best deal? Are school presidents business people? Heck no.

 

I know that GK has a consultant working with him; I sure wish that former B1G commissioner Jim Delaney, now a consultant, was helping out.

 

I also think it would be prudent for GK to first run the new deal by Oregon and Phil Knight and UW and its equivalent of Phil Knight. These two schools are now the cornerstone of the conference and need to be fully committed to whatever the new deal might be. If this means a bigger slice of the pie for Oregon than for Washington State so be it. 

 

If a plan for disparate revenue shares had been in place perhaps USC would still be in the conference. I wonder how long SC, Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State are going to be happy getting the same share as Northwestern? 

As the Stanford of the B1G I think NorthWestern gets a pass with its academic prowess, but that argument could maybe be made against some other schools. Then again, all those schools either have a national brand or are attached to large markets. And, you've gotta have some somewhat easy wins in confernce play. You gotta have at least a few Washington Generals in your conference to feed as red meat to the Ohio State's of the world. 

[Steven A]

Thanks Darren.

 

Yours is about the only article worth reading on the Media rights situation until it is announced.

 

Yes, trust GK.  Larry made a great media deal . . . until it wasn't.  It was too long and obsolete once the next conference signed their deal.

 

Not having an escape clause upon the next Power 5 deal was the death knell, that and a Kardasian lifestyle.

[Kurt Rambis]

One of the big problems in the current media environment is that we all tend to feel we have the right to know everything - the exact nature of the QB's hamstring injury, exactly why the OC was fired, exactly what the coach was thinking when he punted on 4th and short, exactly what the NIL deal is for the new DB.

 

And of course we all want to know exactly what the Pac10's new deal will be (and whether it'll be the Pac10, 11, 12, or 14).  And dang it, we want to know it now!

 

So of course there will be a variety of talking hairdo's and Internet "journalists" speculating or even reporting what's going on (whether it's remotely accurate or not).  

 

I'm old enough to remember when you got the evening news and the morning newspaper and those were largely your news sources.  Today, the 24/7 information cycle is making us all a bit impatient, and all a bit nuts.  (Or maybe the latter impact is largely on me.)

[Charles Fischer]

Another explanation for all the "click-bait" summary of the same stuff or complete conjecture comes from this writer's perspective.  It is the off-season...what are you going to write about?

 

[Darren Perkins]

On 2/28/2023 at 10:08 AM, Steven A said:

Thanks Darren.

 

Yours is about the only article worth reading on the Media rights situation until it is announced.

 

Yes, trust GK.  Larry made a great media deal . . . until it wasn't.  It was too long and obsolete once the next conference signed their deal.

 

Not having an escape clause upon the next Power 5 deal was the death knell, that and a Kardasian lifestyle.

And, the conference presidents should be a little wiser this time around. 

[Darren Perkins]

On 2/28/2023 at 10:26 AM, Kurt Rambis said:

One of the big problems in the current media environment is that we all tend to feel we have the right to know everything - the exact nature of the QB's hamstring injury, exactly why the OC was fired, exactly what the coach was thinking when he punted on 4th and short, exactly what the NIL deal is for the new DB.

 

And of course we all want to know exactly what the Pac10's new deal will be (and whether it'll be the Pac10, 11, 12, or 14).  And dang it, we want to know it now!

 

So of course there will be a variety of talking hairdo's and Internet "journalists" speculating or even reporting what's going on (whether it's remotely accurate or not).  

 

I'm old enough to remember when you got the evening news and the morning newspaper and those were largely your news sources.  Today, the 24/7 information cycle is making us all a bit impatient, and all a bit nuts.  (Or maybe the latter impact is largely on me.)

Here's the soundtrack to your comment ; )

 

 

[Darren Perkins]

On 2/28/2023 at 10:26 AM, cartm25 said:

Thank you Darren - Always glad to have a football article in this sports hellscape that occurs during the football offseason (both college and NFL).

 

Question: I was surprised at the estimated subscriptions to the P12 Network being only 14M. I would have assumed much more since it's carried by Xfinity, Cox, Spectrum, Dish/Sling, Fubo, etc. Is it only 14M due to the P12N being an "add-on", or only automatically included regionally? If that's the case, then the 14M makes much more sense to me.

 

Only part I disagreed with was the "anti-streaming" section. I think it's presumptuous to assume that an individual would be reluctant to switch to streaming merely because they are a curmudgeon/fuddy-duddy who can't figure out the tech. It takes WAY more know-how to operate one of those darn cable remote controllers with 1,000 buttons, than to set up a streaming account, ha.

 

IMO, I envision someone with an all-in (internet and TV) Comcast/Xfinity cable package that has exceeded the 2-year promotional contract price (~$90/month), now paying a la carte prices (i.e., ~$150-$250 per month) scoffing at the idea of adding another subscription fee to be paid, all while getting no reduction in monthly fee from Xfinity now that the P12N is gone.

 

I'll speak for myself, and potentially others. My annoyance/hesitancy with games on a streaming service isn't "streaming" itself (I literally stream everything: YouTube TV, Amazon Prime, etc.), but it's subscription fatigue. In my particular case, if Apple TV+ is involved, that would require adding another subscription fee. 

 

There's a reason that the SEC (the most forward-thinking conference), the B1G, and B12 (facing similar challenges to the P12) all rushed to linear TV, and it's not because the fanbases are a bunch of curmudgeon/fuddy-duddys.

 

Streaming is the future, but timing is also everything. Goal is to be Tesla and not GM EV1, OR be Facebook/Insta and not MySpace.

I was just kind of having fun with the "fuddy-duddy" remarks. I might have gotten a little carried away : ) ...I remember my father retiring earlier than he wanted to 20-some years ago because he was computer illiterate and it was too overwhelming for him. 

 

I think worse than setting it up is the switching between tv broadcasts and the various streaming apps out there, it gets clumsy where people of all ages will become (or have already) curmudgeon over it. I imagine there will be a solution to this at some point, just not yet.

 

And yes, streaming is the future, just not quite to the point where it takes over standard tv as of yet, but it will be at the end of this decade when all the conferences will be working on new agreements. So, one possible positive, is that if the Pac-12 (if still around) already has good relationship with a streaming service then it may serve them well in the future when all conferences are streaming. We'll see.... 

 

And I do believe the Pac-12 Network is an add-on for most distrubutors. I know it is with my Sling subscription, so certainly that lowers the number of total households. 

Edited February 28, 2023 by Darren Perkins

[Darren Perkins]

On 2/28/2023 at 10:34 AM, Charles Fischer said:

Another explanation for all the "click-bait" summary of the same stuff or complete conjecture comes from this writer's perspective.  It is the off-season...what are you going to write about?

 

True, Sports Illustrated didn't release the swimsuit issue in February after the Super Bowl for nothing. I don't even know if they still have that....

[Jon Joseph]

On 2/28/2023 at 12:55 PM, Darren Perkins said:

I agree, Jon. But he could be negotiating different scenarios with the media companies. How much can we get if we stay put? How much if we add teams A and B? How much if we add teams A, B, C, and D? I for one would want to know what I can get before expanding. 

Absolutely agree and that's why I believe that realistic potential partners are disclosed to the media prior to a deal being finalised.

 

I'm certain that this was the case with ESPN in regard to OK/TX and FOX with SC/UCLA. I believe the networks had a great deal of influence in engineering both transactions.

[David Marsh]

Some points on streaming services and why I think they are in some ways more consumer friendly moving forward for younger generations. 

 

1. Cable or Dish is expensive on a monthly basis and getting a package that has Pac-12 Networks or just the few channels you actually want to have make it even more expensive. I know I was paying more for the cable TV that I wasn't using for the most part than the internet that I used all the time. I did finally cut the cable at the end of football season which is what I was only using it for as it was. 

 

2. Cable and Dish companies are a real pain in the butt to deal with so switching on and off cable or dish isn't something that can be easily done. Yes, I was only using cable during football season so theoretically I could get cable for those 3-4 months a year and then get rid of it for the rest. That is possible to do but dealing with the cable company (in my case Comcast) is miserable and changing account information and returning equipment is just time consuming and awful. 

 

3. There are streaming service options now for most games... youtubeTV is cheap compared to a lot of cable packages and that can get you access to the channels and games you want with a built in DVR and no special equipment needed. Well, I have a chromecast at home and I know some have a Roku so it is easy to watch on my TV screen but neither of those are that expensive and once you buy them you own them and never need to return them to a cable company. Once done with the season just cancel the subscription and that's it... no going to a store to return gear or having to call up a customer service line to cancel the policy. 

 

4. So if it's on AppleTV or Amazon or whatever, that might be another sub for people to get but unless you use your cable TV all the time it isn't really an additional cost... at least for the younger generations (I'm in my 30s by the way). So for me getting a sub for AppleTV for a few months (even with something like youtubeTV or sling or whatever) would be cheaper and easier than cable currently. 

 

I know not everyone is ready to switch over to a streaming only lifestyle but it is certainly trending that way. The money might not be there now but it will get there real fast. 

[Darren Perkins]

On 2/28/2023 at 11:31 AM, David Marsh said:

Some points on streaming services and why I think they are in some ways more consumer friendly moving forward for younger generations. 

 

1. Cable or Dish is expensive on a monthly basis and getting a package that has Pac-12 Networks or just the few channels you actually want to have make it even more expensive. I know I was paying more for the cable TV that I wasn't using for the most part than the internet that I used all the time. I did finally cut the cable at the end of football season which is what I was only using it for as it was. 

 

2. Cable and Dish companies are a real pain in the butt to deal with so switching on and off cable or dish isn't something that can be easily done. Yes, I was only using cable during football season so theoretically I could get cable for those 3-4 months a year and then get rid of it for the rest. That is possible to do but dealing with the cable company (in my case Comcast) is miserable and changing account information and returning equipment is just time consuming and awful. 

 

3. There are streaming service options now for most games... youtubeTV is cheap compared to a lot of cable packages and that can get you access to the channels and games you want with a built in DVR and no special equipment needed. Well, I have a chromecast at home and I know some have a Roku so it is easy to watch on my TV screen but neither of those are that expensive and once you buy them you own them and never need to return them to a cable company. Once done with the season just cancel the subscription and that's it... no going to a store to return gear or having to call up a customer service line to cancel the policy. 

 

4. So if it's on AppleTV or Amazon or whatever, that might be another sub for people to get but unless you use your cable TV all the time it isn't really an additional cost... at least for the younger generations (I'm in my 30s by the way). So for me getting a sub for AppleTV for a few months (even with something like youtubeTV or sling or whatever) would be cheaper and easier than cable currently. 

 

I know not everyone is ready to switch over to a streaming only lifestyle but it is certainly trending that way. The money might not be there now but it will get there real fast. 

Thanks. I use Sling and can cancel at anytime, unlike contracts with cable and dish companies (assuming they still do the contract thing, it's been a while for me). And for most Oregon fans it is not a big deal to get Apple TV for four months a year. The danger is in the non-Oregon fans who are flipping around between games (like i do when the ducks are not on), it is so much easier on cable (whether linear or streaming) than switching between apps. So, as of now, the streaming services will cause the teams playing to lose out on many of the "channel flippers." 

 

I'm sure this will change at some point to make app switching easier, but not there yet. 

[Jon Joseph]

On 2/28/2023 at 2:50 PM, Darren Perkins said:

Thanks. I use Sling and can cancel at anytime, unlike contracts with cable and dish companies (assuming they still do the contract thing, it's been a while for me). And for most Oregon fans it is not a big deal to get Apple TV for four months a year. The danger is in the non-Oregon fans who are flipping around between games (like i do when the ducks are not on), it is so much easier on cable (whether linear or streaming) than switching between apps. So, as of now, the streaming services will cause the teams playing to lose out on many of the "channel flippers." 

 

I'm sure this will change at some point to make app switching easier, but not there yet. 

Very good take Darren in response to David's very good take. Thank you both.

 

I think in a very short time that switching from one streaming app to another will be far easier. 

 

The streaming sites want to protect their turf but more importantly want new subscribers. I believe it is this desire that will foster making viewing easier and lifting all streaming boats.

[Darren Perkins]

I do miss the DVR from my days with cable because you actually have real hard drive versus the cloud version (I have Sling TV) that is not nearly as nimble (IMHO). But, now i'm used to it now and we'll all get used to the various switching of apps.... eventually ; )

[Santa Rosa Duck]

I like the idea of Oregon tied in with Apple. Incredible company who will find the way to expand the subscriber base for Pac 12 sports. Could incredible Apple create a tie in with incredible Nike and create something really desirable? One can wish. I stream Apple at home and the content is excellent as well as the quality. More and more 4K product is being delivered but you will have to have high speed streaming to enjoy 4K.

 

Thank you Darren, good food for thought.

[Darren Perkins]

On 2/28/2023 at 12:39 PM, Santa Rosa Duck said:

I like the idea of Oregon tied in with Apple. Incredible company who will find the way to expand the subscriber base for Pac 12 sports. Could incredible Apple create a tie in with incredible Nike and create something really desirable? One can wish. I stream Apple at home and the content is excellent as well as the quality. More and more 4K product is being delivered but you will have to have high speed streaming to enjoy 4K.

 

Thank you Darren, good food for thought.

It would be something that after Larry Scott is gone that his dream of the San Franciso-Silicon Valley-Pac 12 synergy would come into effect. Oops. 

[noDucknewby]

On 2/28/2023 at 12:39 PM, Santa Rosa Duck said:

I like the idea of Oregon tied in with Apple. Incredible company who will find the way to expand the subscriber base for Pac 12 sports. Could incredible Apple create a tie in with incredible Nike and create something really desirable? One can wish. I stream Apple at home and the content is excellent as well as the quality. More and more 4K product is being delivered but you will have to have high speed streaming to enjoy 4K.

 

Thank you Darren, good food for thought.

Great point about 4K I haven't heard discussed much.  Linear 4K content is almost non-existent, while it is readily available with streaming.  A 4K action/adventure movie with Vision and Dolby Atmos is amazing on a decent home theatre setup.  I would LOVE to have that option for Duck games.

[2002duck]

On 2/28/2023 at 6:55 AM, NJDuck said:

Just to put things in perspective about Apple.

Apple has been on a mission to buy back shares for a while, and has also been very kind to investors, paying about $15B in dividends last year. Apple is not frivolous with their spending.

 

While they just spent a large chunk of change to have all of the MLS games (except subleasing one or two games a week to networks), it was a *10* year deal! Not exactly something that would work for for college football. Especially the PAC.

 

Also, I watched the Portland Timbers game on Apple last night for their first game of the season, and the broadcast was not great. Something else to note: Apple didn't have their own play-by-play team.

 

Apple made the (former) regional broadcast teams do all the work. When you watch the game you have to select if you want to listen to Portland's play-by-play guys or the other team's play-by-play guys.

 

Seems like with the PAC they might want the same?

 

Anyway, I am very against having the PAC or any CFB on Apple TV, or Amazon for that matter.

 

I'm sorry, but it's not time for streaming sports in college football *or* the NFL. The future is not now. 

Edited March 1, 2023 by 2002duck

[David Marsh]

On 2/28/2023 at 5:23 PM, 2002duck said:

Apple has been on a mission to buy back shares for a while, and has also been very kind to investors, paying about $15B in dividends last year. Apple is not frivolous with their spending.

 

While they just spent a large chunk of change to have all of the MLS games (except subleasing one or two games a week to networks), it was a *10* year deal! Not exactly something that would work for for college football. Especially the PAC.

 

Also, I watched the Portland Timbers game on Apple last night for their first game of the season, and the broadcast was not great. Something else to note: Apple didn't have their own play-by-play team.

 

Apple made the (former) regional broadcast teams do all the work. When you watch the game you have to select if you want to listen to Portland's play-by-play guys or the other team's play-by-play guys.

 

Seems like with the PAC they might want the same?

 

Anyway, I am very against having the PAC or any CFB on Apple TV, or Amazon for that matter.

 

I'm sorry, but it's not time for streaming sports in college football *or* the NFL. The future is not now. 

I would assume that part of the negotiations with these streaming companies will include the current production of the Pac-12 Network. The Pac-12 network isn't perfect but their production has been pretty good and their commentators do actually seem to know who the players are which is a big bonus. I will say this about the Pac-12 production, if it was just about production value I'd take an end of the day game with the Pac-12 network over ESPN or FS1 which both typically give poor production value at the end of the day. 

 

The other big thing at play here is that college football has a bigger following and is worth way more money so the production value will need to be better than MLS which is growing but doesn't have the following at all. So I would think if the Pac-12 network is picked up by Apple or Amazon that it would have the current level of production which is pretty good on the whole. 

 

 

[noDucknewby]

On 3/1/2023 at 9:22 AM, David Marsh said:

I would assume that part of the negotiations with these streaming companies will include the current production of the Pac-12 Network. The Pac-12 network isn't perfect but their production has been pretty good and their commentators do actually seem to know who the players are which is a big bonus. I will say this about the Pac-12 production, if it was just about production value I'd take an end of the day game with the Pac-12 network over ESPN or FS1 which both typically give poor production value at the end of the day. 

 

The other big thing at play here is that college football has a bigger following and is worth way more money so the production value will need to be better than MLS which is growing but doesn't have the following at all. So I would think if the Pac-12 network is picked up by Apple or Amazon that it would have the current level of production which is pretty good on the whole. 

 

 

Totally agree here, David.  The problem with the Pac-12 Network has been distribution, not production quality.  The resolution of their broadcast is much better than any of the ESPN/Fox feeds except for their showcase games.  Night games on the Pac-12 Network are vastly superior and their commentators are much more knowledgeable about the conference.

[Kurt Rambis]

Hope this hasn't already been posted, but some really interesting comments from some former Pac-12 coaches, including Mike Bellotti...

 

Former Pac-12 coaches concerned about league's future amid ongoing issues: 'They're teetering on the brink' - CBSSports.com

WWW.CBSSPORTS.COM

---

The conference's inability to secure a new media rights deal is raising alarms

 

[lownslowav8r]

On 2/28/2023 at 9:40 AM, Darren Perkins said:

Very true, but as the top dogs at their schools, presidents want to have the final vote on such things. Ego.

Not just ego. They are legally and culturally responsible for these decisions. It would be malpractice to defer too much to the AD. 

[lownslowav8r]

On 3/1/2023 at 9:32 AM, noDucknewby said:

The problem with the Pac-12 Network has been distribution, not production quality.

Not entirely true though quality issues are downstream. Because there are so many PAC channels (or because the network lacks clout) FuboTV, as an example, streams the PAC-12 Network at about half the bitrate as ESPN and other sports channels. This causes noticeable compression artifacts in the video.