Teresa Gould reveals role basketball could play in next Pac-12 media rights deal

With Texas State on its way into the league in 2026 as the eighth full member – thus meeting FBS requirements – the Pac-12 is now turning its attention to a new media rights deal. Commissioner Teresa Gould said there’s no true “timeline” at this point, but also said basketball has the potential to play a key role in the new agreement.

Texas State gives the conference eight full members, but Gonzaga notably bolsters the league’s basketball prestige. San Diego State was also in the Final Four in 2024, and Colorado State headed into the NCAA Tournament on a 10-game winning streak before losing in the Round of 32.

As the Pac-12 puts its “Rubik’s Cube” together, in Gould’s words, the media rights deal is still coming together. However, she sees interest from interested networks in the conference’s basketball acumen.

“Basketball can play a huge role, particularly given not just the history and the competitive success that we’ve had, but the strengths of the brands,” Gould told John Canzano and Jon Wilner. “Like, when you walk in and you talk to these media rights partners, they are really, really excited about the basketball brands that we have.

“When you think of the Gonzagas and the San Diego States, and then all the other programs – you look at what Colorado State did this year and what Utah State has done consistently over many years – there’s a lot of interest in basketball and the value it brings to the table and what it can do to kind of elevate our brand and kind of our connected brand with our media partners.”

The Pac-12 previously announced CBS as its primary media partner through 2030-31, providing an anchor as an agreement comes together. CBS will carry the conference men’s basketball tournament, and multiple regular-season games will air on CBS Sports Network.

However, Gould made it clear she wants multiple media partners, as evidenced by the 2025 football media agreement. She also pointed out the potential for basketball to be a central part of a deal and the shifting narrative around the sport’s importance.

“I do think it’s shifting a little bit, only from the perspective of, some of these high-profile, blue-blood programs – like a Gonzaga,” Gould said. “When you look at their viewership, their viewership is comparable on some level with high-level football brands. I think there is sort of a shifting mindset happening. I think the one thing that’s really different is just the volume and the number of games that you have in the sport of basketball. But I am hearing a lot of shifting and certain media rights partners are very dialed in on wanting a lot of quality college basketball.”