Because the Pac-12 media agreement has not yet been finalized, George Kliavkoff may need to return to the negotiating table. Kliavkoff recently presented the Pac-12's media rights agreement, which will primarily be streamed on Apple. Each institution would receive approximately $25 million under the agreement, which is significantly less than the Big-12 and other conferences.
With that, the schools will vote on it on Friday, and the agreement needs seven votes to pass as JWMediaDC tweeted: "JUDGEMENT DAY FOR THE @pac12- GK will present the best & final offer from @AppleTV (around 25m per year school) plus any other media partners he might have. Meanwhile, the buzz around the @bigten & @Big12Conference adding teams continues. Details are expected today PLUS a vote - 7 votes needed to pass the deal."
There haven't been any leaks about what Pac-12 colleges will vote on, which adds to the intrigue. However, the decision could very well determine the Pacific-12's whole existence, since the conference has seen many schools leave and more potentially leave. If the Pac-12 schools vote nay on the agreement, Commissioner George Kliavkoff will have to either rework the Apple deal or find a new deal.
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Only USC, UCLA, and Colorado have officially left the Pac-12 beginning next season, but other schools may follow them. According to sources, Arizona, ASU, Utah, Oregon, and Washington may all leave the Pac-12 and Big Ten to join the Big-12 and Big Ten.
However, George Kliavkoff insisted the Pac-12 schools were committed to the program. “At this point, our 10 schools are completely focused on the future and being together… It’s now almost a running joke at our board meetings: ‘What’s the latest nonsense that someone has thrown against the wall and seeing whether someone will report?'”
Meanwhile, Washington and Oregon, according to ESPN's College Football Senior Writer Pete Thamel, are "fully engaged" in joining the Big Ten. The schools are a cornerstone of the Pac-12 and losing Washington and Oregon would compromise much of the conference’s market, leaving it with scraps.
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Both the Washington Huskies and the Oregon Ducks have financial reasons to quit the Pac-12 and join the Big Ten. The discrepancy in television rights is enormous, with the Pac-12 hoping to sign a deal while the Big Ten has a large $1 billion per year arrangement.
And this figure will undoubtedly entice more programs. Although some of the remaining programs are not Power Five universities that would wish to stay, those with a future in the sport should go elsewhere to comprehend the gravity of the situation.
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The Arizona Board of Regents appears to desire both the Arizona Wildcats and the Arizona State Sun Devils to join the Big 12. As a result, the Pac-12 could be left at a point of no return as it will continue to get weaker, especially when it can’t compete financially with the other conferences.
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Announcing a media rights deal will be one method to keep clubs from leaving and even attract new ones. Pac-12 schools can still gain some exposure in comparison to other West Coast leagues, which will help them become larger stars. Things are fascinating on that front because they have just lost several significant media markets, including Los Angeles, which is significant for a variety of reasons.