CFB insider believes "very challenging" Pac-12 media rights deal with streaming giant will cause "blowback" to member schools

The Pac-12 is facing a critical moment as it tries to secure a new media rights deal that could determine its viability and competitiveness in the college football landscape.

According to reports, the conference is considering a streaming-centric deal with Apple, which would offer incentives based on subscription numbers. However, some insiders believe that such a deal would be “very challenging” and could cause “blowback” to the member schools.

Brett McMurphy, a college football insider for the Action Network, tweeted on Tuesday that the primary deal presented to the conference executives and athletic directors was an Apple streaming deal, which would have a strong upside if certain subscription numbers are met.

However, he also added that the conference will have another meeting to discuss this deal further:

“Biggest blowback on Pac-12’s possible primary Apple media rights deal w/incentive bonuses is it’s 'very challenging' for schools to accurately budget annual revenue, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ. Another Pac-12 meeting scheduled to discuss further”

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Pac-12 faces uncertain future as it seeks new media rights deal

The Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff

Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff has been tasked with finding a media rights deal that can satisfy the conference's and its members' needs and expectations.

The announcement came on Tuesday, following Colorado’s surprise decision last week to join the Big 12. The conference had been in talks with its remaining members about a new TV deal since June 2022, when USC and UCLA shocked the college sports world by joining the Big Ten. The conference had not shared any concrete numbers with its schools until this week.

However, the deal is not done yet, and some key issues remain unresolved.

The most pressing one is whether the deal will be enough to keep Arizona, Arizona State and Utah from leaving the conference for the Big 12, which has been aggressively pursuing them. The Arizona Board of Regents, which oversees both Arizona schools, will meet later Tuesday to discuss its options, but no announcement is expected after the meeting.

The next few months will be crucial for the Pac-12's future. The conference will have to decide whether to take a risk with a streaming deal with Apple or look for other alternatives. The conference will also have to deal with the potential fallout from its decision, both internally and externally.