Pac-12 media deal rumors around Apple resurface as the limited streaming partner still in contention for the rights: Reports

The new Pac-12 media deal with Apple was finally presented by George Kliavkoff to the conference members last Tuesday. However, the conference has seen the exit of five of its members since then, having refused to sign the grant of rights.

With the Pac-12 now down to just four teams going into 2024, it is believed that Apple's television offer is off the table. It was reported last week that the deal had a deadline of this weekend for the conference to accept or reject the tech giant's offer.

A lot has obviously changed within the Pac-12 since then, with the future of the conference even more blurry. However, college football insider MHver3's latest tweet suggests that Apple remains interested in the conference's television rights as the Pac-12 bids to survive the chaos.

---

Apple wants the whole Pac-12 content

Conference Realignment Football

Apple is reportedly interested in covering the entire Pac-12 major sports content in the new deal, not just a section. The tech giant is working to establish its streaming platform in college sports, and the Pac-12 offers it a promising avenue.

However, the upcoming deal is expected to be lower than the previous offer. This is fair enough, considering the number of reputable programs that have decided to exit the conference in 2024. Nonetheless, it is expected to be big enough for the Pac-12 to remain competitive.

Notably, the subscription-based incentive is expected to remain in the Pac-12 media deal when the new Apple offer comes to the table. This will allow the teams in the league to earn more than the base fee with respect to general television rating performances.

There are no speculations of what the new figure from Apple will be yet. However, the ongoing realignment is believed to play a key role in the upcoming Pac-12 media deal. The size of the agreement will be determined by the level of programs the Pac-12 can add.

---

New Pac-12 media deal could facilitate expansion

Apple's retention of interest in the Pac-12 media deal is a saving grace for the Pac-12 going forward. It will help facilitate a smoother expansion process, with potential new members having confidence in the league before joining.

The Pac-12 expansion plan is centered on the Mountain West Conference, and the conference's teams have to pay a mouthwatering $34 million to leave. However, a suitable media deal from the Pac-12 could make the risk worth it in the long run for the MWC teams.