Pac-12 Conference In Talks With Tech Giant Apple
Dec 19, 2019, 4:44 PM | Updated: 4:59 pm
Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
(Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – According to a Wall Street Journal report, Pac-12 Commissioner, Larry Scott, has recently met with Eddy Cue, the Head of Services for Apple, with intentions to create a partnership that would help bolster the revenue of both the Pac-12 Conference and the recently launched Apple TV+ app.
The app, which launched on November 1 at a price that will set you back just $4.99 a month, currently is home to nine original programs that include Disney+ and HBO.
The author of the Wall Street Journal report Tripp Mickle states “though the conversations with MGM and the Pac-12 were preliminary and have yet to reach and advanced stage, the talks show Apple’s openness to striking a muiltibillions-dollar content agreement in support of its TV service – even as it forges ahead with a preferred strategy of developing its own shows. A deal with the Pac-12 would be Apple’s first foray into live sports.”
As it stands currently, the Pac-12 Conference has deals with FOX and ESPN to air their best weekly games. The Pac-12 Network then gets the pick of the other remaining games.
Revenue for “the conference of champions” has been down ever since the launch of the Pac-12 Networks back in August of 2012. Those struggles have led to multiple investment conversations between Scott and other entities over the last handful of years.
Mickle continues “more recently, Mr. Cue met with Pac-12 Conference Commissioner Larry Scott about the conference’s effort to sell an equity stake in its media rights package, valued at up to $5 billion, that includes the Pac-12 Networks and all marquee football, basketball and live sports programming that is fully available in 2024, according to people familiar with the discussions. The conference includes the University of Southern California, the University of Oregon and Stanford University.
Mr. Cue has questioned the value of a deal with the Pac-12 because it would only give Apple rights to some games, people familiar with his thinking said. He also recognized that if Apple ever secured rights to all of the conference’s best programming, it would need to show some of those games on traditional broadcast TV to satisfy fans.”
No timeframe has been reported regarding when fans should expect more on the conversations between the Conference and Apple.
