It appears that the Pac-12 "no longer views a distribution deal" for the Pac-12 Networks with DirecTV as a "high priority ... or any kind of priority," according to Jon Wilner of the San Jose MERCURY NEWS. Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott "didn't slam the door entirely during a recent roundtable discussion, but he described the pursuit of a carriage deal with DirecTV as akin to skating where the puck 'has been.'" The prospects for a deal "went from bleak to dark side of the Moon last summer when AT&T and the conference agreed to end their five-year partnership." Now, the situation has "moved into uncharted territory." In '24, the Pac-12 will "renegotiate its football and men's basketball rights." Scott "expects a robust marketplace with multiple bidders." Sports Business Journal this spring reported that ESPN offered to "take control of distribution for the Pac-12 Networks and extend its Tier 1 broadcast agreement with the conference" into the '30s. The move would have "dramatically boosted the networks' audience and revenue." However, the Pac-12 "declined, preferring short-term flexibility over long-term visibility" (San Jose MERCURY NEWS, 8/22).
