Pac-12 secures television rights for 12 years
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As reported Wednesday in the Los Angeles Times, the soon-to-be Pacific 12 (the conference officially grows by two schools with the addition of Colorado and Utah July 1), signed a 12-year, $3-billion television deal with Fox and ESPN, the largest in college conference history, to begin in 2012-2013.
Fox will have the rights to 22 regular-season Pac-12 football games annually; six Pac-12 football championship games (in the even years of the contract in prime time); 22 men’s regular-season basketball games; and three men’s basketball tournaments (in the even years beginning in 2014). A minimum of eight regular-season football games will be broadcast on over-the-air Fox Sports, at least four of those in prime time. The other 14 games will be on FX, which is available in 99 million homes.
ESPN will get at least 80 Pac-12 events each year, including 22 football games, and will have the football championship game in the odd-numbered years. There will also be a new Saturday 7:30 p.m. PT weekly football game.
Pac-12 content will be featured across multiple ESPN entities, including a significant schedule of game telecasts on ESPN, ABC, ESPN2 and ESPNU; rights to distribute Pac-12 action on ESPN 3D, ESPN International, ESPN GamePlan, ESPN FULL COURT, ESPN Goal Line, ESPN Buzzer Beater, ESPN3.com, ESPN Classic and ESPN Deportes; and extensive coverage on ESPN.com.
Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott said at a media conference announcing the deal in Phoenix: ‘Today’s announcement is a landmark agreement ... the increased revenue comes at a critically important time. Today’s announcement will result in savings of sports that otherwise might not have made it.’
Scott said the conference achieved three goals with the new contract: increase revenues to all the schools; generate greater national exposure; and create a conference network.
For more later, check back at Latimes.com/sports.
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