"We will beat the Big 12's number" - Sources claim Pac-12 TV deal will be bigger than rival Big 12's

A lot of conversation has taken place around the Pac-12 Conference and what their media rights deal is going to look like. They will be losing two of their biggest pieces as the UCLA Bruins and the USC Trojans are heading to the Big Ten Conference in 2024 and are in the midst of a rights deal.

However, Washington State University President Kirk Schulz offered a hint into what we should expect out of the Pac-12 media rights deal. He told the Regents that he expects the deal to be finished by the end of June.

Schulz also added that he believes the dollar amount for 2024 will be similar to what the conference was able to generate in 2022.

Longtime Pac-12 journalist John Canzano offered some clarity in the report as there was a lot of grey area with Schulz's declarations. He penned on his subscription-based Bald Faced Truth the following about what he has heard.

"I reached out to a source with direct knowledge on Friday and asked again - is the Pac-12 confident it will beat that $31.6 million (Big 12) distribution? Canzano quoted his source as saying, 'We will beat the Big 12 number.'" (h/t 24/7 Sports)

For reference, the conference reported a little under $386 million in revenue in 2022, which averages to about $32.1 million per school from media rights through ESPN, Fox, and their Pac-12 Network.

The Big 12 Conference begins their reported $31.6 million annual deal with ESPN and Fox in 2025 and that would be huge for them if they can surpass that figure.

Does this breathe new life into the Pac-12?

This definitely would be a great sign for the conference as teams that are rumored to be leaving, like the Colorado Buffaloes and Arizona Wildcats, would reconsider their position.

The conference just agreed to a new Grant of Rights deal and that is going to really help them develop a better deal for all 10 schools in the conference, beginning in 2024.

If this number is true and they make more than the Big 12 Conference, it gets a breath of life. Teams might even want to jump from the Big 12, looking for a bigger annual cut than they are getting now.

The full Washington State University Board of Regents meeting is posted below.