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It’s been a rough go for the Pac-12 ever since USC an UCLA announced they were leaving for the Big Ten.
On Tuesday, the conference took another hit when Colorado made the decision to sign with the Big 12 starting in 2024. Making college football interesting moving forward.
All of this happened while the Pac-12 was trying to find a new TV deal. With that said, the conference finally receives some good news, but it might be too late.
According to ESPN, the Pac-12 is zeroing in on a TV deal with Apple. Nothing is set in stone yet, but all signs are pointing towards a deal being made. Furthermore, reports indicate it would be just a one-year deal.
“After months of negotiations and uncertainty, Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff on Tuesday presented the conference’s presidents and chancellors with a potential, primarily subscription-based Apple streaming deal for its television contract that expires after this school year.”
Overall, this is good news for the Pac-12. Securing a one-year contract with Apple could lead to an extended deal if the views meet expectations.
However, all of this may just be a little too late. “There are not expected to be any imminent decisions on whether this TV deal is enough to appease Arizona, Arizona State and Utah, which are being heavily courted by the Big 12,” per ESPN.
On top of that, other programs like Oregon and Washington are rumored to be seeking a move to a different conference as well, via Sports Illustrated.
So, although the Pac-12 is closing in on a TV deal, the conference could still lose three to five programs within the next few years.
Meanwhile, if Apple reaches a deal with the Pac-12, then they will remain incredibly active in the sports world. They already have contracts with the MLB and MLS. So acquiring the Pac-12 would be another way for Apple to grow.
With that said, look for an official announcement to be made soon.