Will the Pac-12 media rights delay be worth it for the conference? Learn all about the deal that surrounds PAC 12's future

The looming uncertainty around the Pac-12 media rights deal is probably the biggest concern the conference has as its football media day approaches. The media day is scheduled to be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Friday, July 21.

But as concerns grow among fans over the future of the conference, its leadership seems calm and confident about securing a deal. So, come next week, the biggest news at the media day might be about a lucrative Pac-12 media rights deal.

Pac-12 insiders who spoke with sports reporter and columnist John Canzano expressed optimism that the conference will find a deal and be worth the wait. However, with San Diego State under pressure from the Moutain West presidents, Pac-12 seems in no hurry about making them an offer.

This kind of confidence might keep the fans hopeful, but what are the chances that a lucrative media rights deal will arrive? And if it does, how big will it be?

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How may the present delay affect the Pac-12 media rights deal?

Pac-12 Championship - Utah v USC

There may be calm around the Pac-12 about getting a deal. But for all we know, it might be a “calm before the storm” situation. There are still no concrete details on any potential Pac-12 media rights deal, just optimistic reassurances from its officials. From the look of things, however, the delay is dangerous.

The loss of USC and UCLA has already put Pac-12 at a disadvantage in any media rights deal negotiation. Its failure to find a replacement for the schools before entering the negotiations is another problem it has to deal with.

But there's more. The danger of a Power 5 conference expanding into Pac-12 territory is real and will have a telling effect on its media rights deal talks.

Any potential media partner would be aware of Pac-12's ongoing struggle to adequately replace UCLA and USC. Questions about its ability to keep its current members will also come up.

Whatever deal will be offered may not be huge enough to make it worth the long wait. Pac-12 had been close to bringing SDSU aboard in June, but it didn't go ahead with the plan, leaving the Aztecs out in the cold and fighting to stay back in the Mountain West.

The truth is Pac-12 lacks the stability to attract a lucrative deal of the Big 12 type at the moment. The impact of Big 12's four replacements for Oklahoma and Texas in closing its media rights deal cannot be overstated. It allowed Big 12 to negotiate its new deal from a place of stability, a luxury Pac-12 does not currently have.

So, there really might be a Pac-12 media rights deal in the bag to be announced at the media day. But nothing indicates it will be worth the long wait after all.