Pac-12 media rights delay due to 2024 College Football Playoff expansion? Insider John Canzano explains the financial windfall of 2024

The Pac-12 is the only Power Five conference that remains without a long-term media rights deal.

The conference will face major changes in 2024 as the UCLA Bruins and USC Trojans will leave for the Big Ten. Furthermore, the College Football Playoff will expand to 12 teams from the current four-team format, giving more programs an opportunity to reach the postseason.

Take a look at how that could affect the media rights deal below.

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How could the College Football Playoff expansion affect the Pac-12 media rights deal?

The College Football Playoff will expand by eight teams in 2024 as the field grows from four to 12 teams for the first time. John Canzano recently explained how the expansion could affect the Pac-12 media rights deal, stating:

"It could be that they've discovered a financial advantage to waiting another year to invite two new members. The College Football Playoff is expanding for the 2024 season. The new TV deal is going to bring a windfall to the conferences that participate. Is it possible the Pac-12 doesn't want to split those first-year shares 12 ways vs. 10?"

He added:

"That it's waiting because doing so helps make up for the haircut they took in the Comcast overpayment fiasco? A veteran college administrator (not from the Pac-12) floated that theory to me on Friday as the news about San Diego State landed.

"He offered that being without Southern California as part of the Pac-12 for one football season wouldn't kill you on the recruiting or TV-deal fronts." [h/t Trojan Wire]

While the conference has had just two appearances in the nine years of the College Football Playoff, that could certainly change with an expanded postseason field. In 2022, two schools finished outside the top four but in the top 12 of the final rankings.

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Which schools could depart or join the Pac-12?

The UCLA Bruins and USC Trojans have already announced their departure from the Pac-12 as they are both set to join the Big Ten on July 1, 2024. The departures will cost them the Los Angeles market.

In addition to the Bruins and Trojans, the Big Ten is reportedly targeting the Oregon Ducks and Washington Huskies. The Arizona Wildcats, Arizona State Sun Devils, Colorado Buffaloes and Utah Utes have all reportedly been in contact with the Big 12 as well.

While the fate of those six schools are unclear, the conference has already began targeting replacements for UCLA and USC. They are looking to add the San Diego State Aztecs and SMU Mustangs sometime down the road, but could hold off on doing so until 2025.