Pac-12 media rights hit open market after exclusive negotiating window closes

The media rights for the Pac-12 conference are soon to be open for all bidders. According to recent reports, the Pac-12’s exclusive negotiating window with incumbent powerhouse networks ESPN and Fox Sports has ended without a deal with either company. With both sides failing to come to an agreement, the conference can now take its complete set of media rights to the open market.

However, there is cause for concern. Right now, there isn’t a proper timeline for when the Pac-12 will be able to finalize a deal with any media company. Their current contract is set to expire in 2023-24, and Even though there is interest from digital companies such as Amazon and Apple, the most substantial interest in the conference still comes from their two previous partners, ESPN and Fox.

The previous deal the PAC 12 had was a 12-year deal worth 250 million annually and was considered a groundbreaking deal at the time. However, since then, the conference has lost some of its glow in the sports media world. That comes after losing USC and UCLA to the Big Ten conference.

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The PAC 12 is expected to keep negotiations going into early 2023 if no deal can be reached before then. There is a substantial amount of money at stake here, but most important is the well-being and future of the conference. Pac-12 executives, I’m trying to make sure the conference will remain strong despite the absence of the two Los Angeles teams.

Oregon’s T.J. Bass, Brandon Dorlus honored by Pac-12 following win over Stanford

A pair of Oregon Ducks were recognized as the best at their respective positions in Week 5.

Following the Ducks’ blowout win over Stanford, senior offensive tackle T.J. Bass was selected as the Pac-12 offensive lineman of the week, and junior defensive end Brandon Dorlus was named the conference defensive lineman of the week.

Bass, an all-conference selection at guard last season, has been outstanding for the Ducks since making the full-time move to left tackle in 2022. On Saturday, he played 65 snaps and did allow a pressure, a hurry, or a sack in 32 pass-blocking opportunities.

Bass was instrumental for an Oregon offense that racked up 351 yards on 37 carries for an average of 9.5 yards-per-carry. That’s the most rushing yards for the Ducks in a single game since 2018.

Additionally, Bass received a 71.8 overall grade from Pro Football Focus and a 74.4 pass-blocking grade.

This marks the third time in Bass’s career that he has been selected as the conference offensive lineman of the week. He is the third player since the award’s introduction in 2019 to receive it three times. Former Oregon star Penei Sewell and Utah’s Nick Ford are the others.

“We want to lean on our strengths. I think our O-line has been a strength all year,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said following Saturday’s win. “Our backs are running really hard. We were obviously able to involve the quarterback in the run game, and wide receivers too, that was part of our plan coming in. If they didn’t take it away, we wanted to continue to lean on it.”