The revived PAC-12 is drawing some serious interest from some of its former television homes as it seeks a new media rights deal. According to Amanda Christovich of Front Office Sports, ESPN, FOX, and CBS are reportedly in an “exploratory phase” with the PAC-12 to broadcast the league’s collegiate athletics. The league and the three networks did not provide any comments.
The PAC-12 nearly dissolved following a failed media rights deal orchestrated by former commission George Kliavkoff, where all teams but Oregon State and Washington State departed. New commissioner Teresa Gould recalibrated much of the conference, including its office structure, settled a lawsuit against former programs, and even added six new schools: Boise State, Fresno State, Utah State, Colorado State, San Diego State, and Gonzaga.
Gonzaga does not have a football team, so Christovich reports that the PAC-12 would need to add one more FBS football-playing member by 2026 to maintain its FBS status. However, Gonzaga’s college basketball program offers massive value and would be a desirable addition to the league even without a football program.
However, the PAC-12 has new problems. The first is a lawsuit brought by the Mountain West, which claims the league violated an upcoming football scheduling partnership by poaching four of its teams. Second, three of the four new PAC-12 schools—Boise State, Colorado State, and Utah State—are suing the MWC to avoid paying their exit fees.
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