Pac-12 'keeping an eye on' Colorado amid TV deal discussions, conference realignment talk

Colorado could be the key to the Pac-12’s next television deal amid conference realignment throughout college football, according to ESPN’s Heather Dinich.

The Big 12 just announced its expanded members and the Big Ten and SEC are ready to join the party, officially at least, in 2024. The Pac-12 is in limbo with a need for a new media rights deal and Colorado reportedly holding substantive talks with the Big 12 for the future.

Dinich broke down the latest on Saturday’s edition of SportsCenter.

“Well, everyone is still keeping an eye on Colorado to see whether or not they have the patience to wait to see if there is a new TV deal that is acceptable,” Dinich said regarding the Pac-12’s role in future realignment. “But the bottom line here, Hannah, is that the presidents and chancellors need to see the money, show me the money, before we can make a decision and if it’s good enough, and on par with the Big 12. 

“They’re almost likely to stay intact and stay together. If they’re not satisfied with the Pac-12 TV deal. then you start to see deflection and all of those things can happen extremely quickly. But the order of events is the TV deal happens, then they need to sign the grant of rights. Who’s really in this thing, who’s showing their commitment that they’re talking about right now? And then they decide whether to stay or to leave.”

Colorado athletic director Rick George addressed those reports in an interview with BuffZone, but didn’t entirely shut down the idea of a future move.

“We’re members of the Pac-12, we’re proud members of the Pac-12 and we’ve got to see where our media rights deal lands and where our conference goes,” George said. “In a perfect world, we’d love to be in the Pac-12, but we also have to do what’s right for Colorado at the end of day. We’ll evaluate things as we move forward.”

After taking over as Big 12 commissioner, Brett Yormark made it abundantly clear the conference is “open for business” as realignment dominoes continue to fall. The Pac-12 has been seen as a potential target for the league, and reports previously connected the “Four Corners” schools to the Big 12. Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah have all reportedly had conversations with the Big 12, The Athletic reported in March.

Nick Schultz contributed to this report