Is Stanford and Cal to AAC a better deal than Pac-12 MWC merger? Taking a closer look at Pac-4 schools' media money in 2023

The future of the remaining four Pac-12 teams is uncertain, as they could all look to stick together or some could leave to join other conferences. Stanford and Cal to AAC has now become a hot topic.

There have been rumors that the Pac-12 could merge with a conference. However, according to CFB insider Jim Williams, Stanford and Cal could well go off on their own and just join another conference.

Williams reckons Stanford and Cal are valuable schools for a variety of reasons, and the American Athletic Conference should add a couple more.

"There is no doubt that Stanford and Cal would be a better fit with the AAC schools than the MW. They have more AAU members and could provide more cash b/c of better TV time slots," Williams tweeted.

The AAC has 14 teams, and bringing them up to 16 would make a lot of sense. Moreover, adding Stanford and Cal would allow the AAC to start broadcasting late-night games, which would increase their revenue further.

Whether Stanford or Cal are interested in that move is uncertain at this time However, it makes sense for both teams to leave the Pac-12 and make the move rather than waiting to see if the Pac-12 merges with the Atlantic Coastal Conference or Mountain West Conference.

Pac-12 media rights deal in 2023

The Pac-12's 12-year deal with ESPN and FOX is set to expire on July 1, 2024, and that reportedly brings in $250 million annually. According to CBS reporter Dennis Dodd, he thought the conference needed to get $300 million in media rights to keep the conference together, which obviously didn't happen.

Part of the reason was, it was reported the schools would receive $25 million from the Apple streaming deal, which is well down from the $37 million the schools were making from ESPN and FOX.

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Will Stanford or Cal leave the Pac-12 amid Pac-12 MWC merger rumors

Stanford and Cal will likely be highly sought after by various conferences to add some West Coast teams to their broadcast deals.

Stanford president Marc Tessier-Lavigne and athletic director Bernard Muir released a joint statement saying that the school is going to explore its options.

"We are aware of the University of Oregon and the University of Washington's intended departure from the Pac-12 Conference," they said.

"Our primary focus at this time is analyzing the available options and making the best decisions for Stanford and our student-athletes. We remain optimistic about Stanford's athletics future and remain committed to pursuing excellence in college athletics."

Cal, meanwhile, also released a similar statement from Chancellor Carol Christ and athletic director Jim Knowlton, saying that the school won't wait on the sidelines for something to happen.

Instead, Cal seems focused on finding the right conference for their student-athletes to compete in.

"We are not watching and waiting from the sidelines. Together (we) are evaluating a variety of options that will ensure our student-athletes can continue to thrive, and that our intercollegiate athletics can continue to excel in a manner consistent with our international values.

"We are grateful for continued support of the campus community and the extended Cal Family and will remain committed to sharing as much information as we can in the days ahead."

The drama surrounding realignments and expansion continues to remain a hot topic. What Stanford and Cal decide to do remains to be seen.