Navigate Research Founder & CEO AJ Maestas said the Pac-12's ownership of its network gives the league a powerful "negotiating chip." Maestas said the conference has a "lot of options available to them for a changing landscape as far as new technology players, new distributors, new producers of media and there's no doubt the media world is rapidly changing." By owning and retaining 100% of the equity in the network, the conference has something of "significant value and even more important than the value that's been created." Maestas said, "There is a great deal of real options available to the conference." Maestas: "I can understand why some people call it a failure and why they're disappointed with the revenue ... or they're bothered by the costs." But Maestas said he would want to be "holding the chips they're holding," and the conference "will still prove to be smart in the long run." Maestas said the conference should retain its media rights because in the changing media landscape, it is "not clear yet who the ultimate player is going to be" when the Pac-12's deal with Fox and ESPN expires. Maestas: "I wouldn't sell that equity, but I think the option should always be on the table, and it is because they own 100% of it." He added, "I cannot think of a sports property -- a team, a league -- that has ever regretted retaining equity in media" ("Pac-12 Hotline," MERCURYNEWS.com, 1/16).
