Baylor AD Says Big 12 Should Be Ready If Pac-12 Disintegates
One Big 12 athletic director implies his conference should be ready to bring in Pac-12 schools if the Pac-12’s media-rights deal does not satisfy the conference’s remaining 10 schools.
In his interview with 360 Sports, Baylor athletic director Mack Rhoades did not specifically say the Big 12 should add Pac-12 schools. But he did suggest there may be movement if Pac-12 schools are dissatisfied with the conference's new media-rights deal, and that the Big 12 should be ready to deal with that outcome.
The Pac-12 is expected to announce a new media-right deal in the coming weeks, and all these reports and comments in advance of that announcement are mere speculation. But comments from an administrator at a Big 12 school are worth listening to.
Rhoades first told 365 Sports that he would not be pleased with a deal in which a major portion is streaming outlets.
"It would be disappointing to be quite frank. Where I go first is the brand of the conference, which means impact on recruiting. Conversations with my head coaches, in terms of brand building and linear space — I know everyone talks about cord cutting, but [TV] is still the way people follow college athletics. If you think about not just the event itself but the shows throughout the week and even on game day. With FOX, you think about game day and their shows. I think it would be a big disappointment for the athletic directors and their coaches."
That portion of the interview beings 11 minutes and 40 seconds into the video below.
So if the Pac-12 schools are dissatisfied with a streaming-based media-right deal, Rhoades says in the 365 Sports interview that the Pac-12 may dissolve. That would likely bring "movement," according to Rhoades, who suggests the Big 12 should be ready to deal with it. The inference is that the Big 12 might be willing to add Pac-12 schools.
"I am certainly not rooting for the demise of any particular conference, but I am also looking out for what is best for Baylor and what is best for Baylor is a really really strong Big 12, and one that secures its future but not over just the next six years but beyond. There is a short gain but also a long gain for this. It is dependent on what happens among the Pac-12. There may be movement if whatever media deal they are able to strike is not satisfactory. We have to be prepared for that and I think we are if that was to happen. Again, looking out for the Big 12, how do we strengthen ourselves."
That part of the interview takes pace starting about 18 minutes and 50 seconds into the video below:
Rhoades’ perspective is just one opinion, and one that is, of course, biased toward the Big 12.
There is no definitive information on what the new Pac-12 media-right deal might include, although there is informed speculation that it is likely to include streaming services, such as Amazon and the like.
Furthermore, there is disagreement as to whether streaming services provide a favorable vehicle for college football coverage, given the likelihood that streaming will become a bigger factor in sports coverage over the coming years.
There is also no indication whether schools such as Cal would want to move to the Big 12 if the media-rights deal is unsatisfactory and/or the Pac-12 ceases to exist.
Having said that, it is significant that an athletic director for a Big 12 school is implying that the Big 12 should be ready to add Pac-12 schools if the Pac-12 disintegrates.
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