The proposal, which is still in the early stages, largely includes the ESPN-owned ACC Network. Under the plan, the ACC Network — or a renamed entity combining the two leagues — would have exclusive rights to broadcast Pac-12 games to West Coast households via ESPN cable providers. The deal is not a merger or consolidation of the leagues, but is based on a media rights deal with the world leader in sports — an effort to make up for the loss of USC and UCLA from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten. While the joint move could include non-conference matchups from the West and East coasts — think Clemson-Washington or Miami-Oregon — the main reason behind the partnership is television ownership. This will replace the failing Pac-12 network with a reliable provider that can reach millions of homes in the West. The potential deal could be a win-win for all involved: The ACC is expected to receive long-sought additional television revenue. ESPN gets a piece of Pac-12 stock. and the Pac-12 probably remains intact, with its 10 remaining members having an attractive television setup. It may also be a more desirable alternative for Pac-12 schools than wanting to join the Big 12. At least one Pac-12 source disputed reports of “serious” talks between some remaining schools and the Big 12. Scott Taetsch, Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports However, those briefed on the ACC–Pac-12 proposal believe it has many hurdles to overcome and details to iron out before it becomes a reality. This should be a longer-term and deliberate decision that could take weeks, if not months, to fix, one administrator says. The key question: Does the deal generate enough additional revenue to make it worthwhile? An administrator with knowledge of the discussions said ACC athletic directors first heard the idea during a conference call Friday. “It’s something that has been considered worth exploring, but nothing has any detail behind it,” the administrator said. “The general response was, ‘Give us more [specificity].” In some ways, the proposal is an extension of the Pac-12 and ACC’s so-called alliance with the Big Ten, a nonbinding agreement announced last year that was believed to be aimed at preventing any further expansion among the Power 5. It was a response to the SEC’s acquisition of Texas and Oklahoma in 2021, but blew up spectacularly when the Big Ten attacked the Pac-12. In response, the ACC and Pac-12 are trying to maintain relevance in a market that has seen the top two competitive leagues — already the richest in college sports — grow significantly in value. Relatively new to their jobs, ACC commissioner Jim Phillips and Pac-12 commish George Kliavkoff have a good working relationship, according to sources, and are exploring ways to work together. For the Pac-12, the partnership may be the best possible solution to retain its remaining members, but is it worth it for the ACC? It’s unclear exactly how much additional revenue the league would generate from such a move. But any extra dollars are a plus given the ACC’s long-term television contract. ACC members are estimated to receive far less media rights revenue than the new deals of their Big Ten and SEC competitors. ACC is locked into the deal until 2036. The new partnership with the Pac-12 may not reopen the contract, but it will change the bottom line. That might be the best option for the ACC, because a full contract renegotiation could clear a path for the league’s most valuable properties — North Carolina, Clemson, Florida State, Miami and Virginia — to explore leaving. As it stands, escaping the concession agreement from the ACC could be both costly and complicated. Scroll to continue ESPN would gain ground on the West Coast, ensuring it owns major rights to three of the five Power 5 leagues after Fox’s stranglehold on the Big Ten (the network is believed to have at least a 60% share of the Big Ten’s new TV deal). ESPN is expected to be actively involved in the Pac-12’s negotiations for a new media rights deal, but the product has been diminished by the loss of the Los Angeles market. This deal could be a way for ESPN to get more out of a deal with the Pac-12. Meanwhile, Kliavkoff tries to prevent his 10 schools from being poached by a new colleague. Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark, brand new to the job, has been aggressive in pursuing the rest of the Pac-12 programs. The Big 12 is specifically targeting the remaining four from the Pac-12 South: Arizona, Arizona State, Utah and Colorado. The nature of that pursuit is unclear, as is the level of interest from those schools in making a move. With sources indicating that Oregon and Washington do not have a clear and imminent path to the Big Ten, those schools may prefer to remain in the Pac-12 – which could, in turn, improve its chances of staying Arizona, State of Arizona, Colorado and Utah. the championship. For Kliavkoff, the potential partnership with the ACC would add strength at a time when the Pac-12 is weak and guarantee something the Big 12 can’t — a regional television network partner. The Pac-12 would grab a lifeline from the ACC at a time when the Big 12 is attacking its members. In an ironic twist, it comes nearly a year after the Pac-12 and ACC decided not to field teams from the Big 12, which at the time was struggling after losing its two biggest franchises, Oklahoma and Texas, to the SEC. The Pac-12 and ACC also declined a partnership with the Big 12 a year ago, prompting the conference to add four new members in Houston, BYU, Cincinnati and UCF, and resulting in more Group of 5 conference dominoes to fall into a wave readjustment of the conference. The next wave is here, sparked by last week’s stunning news that USC and UCLA are moving to the Big Ten. Meanwhile, the eyes of many in college athletics are trained on independent Notre Dame. Will the Irish finally move to join a full-time league? And will that conference be the Big Ten? A source familiar with Notre Dame’s thinking recently told SI, “Independence remains the preference and leader at the club.” Washington and Oregon also remain attractive Big Ten brands, but their fates could be determined by Notre Dame’s decision — and the Fighting Irish don’t feel compelled to rush it. “It’s all about money,” says one Pac-12 official. “The SEC has made the most and the Big Ten has the second and the ACC is stuck with a less-than-optimal deal. And the Pac-10 — we should start calling it the Pac-10 now — is finding out what our new TV deal is like, and the Big 12 seems to be after us.” All this potential movement will be determined by the money. Any expansion of the conference means dividing TV dollars more ways. Thus, any additional school must bring substantial value to a league to make it financially worthwhile. Does the Big 12 really see value in adding four or six schools from the west? Does the ACC find it valuable enough to agree to a media partnership with the Pac-12? And does Notre Dame see the value of participating in a championship? These questions come at one of the most uncertain and chaotic times in recent college sports history. The speeds driving any decision are obvious, says one prominent sports administrator: “It all comes down to dollars.” Watch ESPN with fuboTV: Start a 7-day trial today! More college coverage: • USC, UCLA and Big Ten get theirs, but at what cost?• What USC, UCLA moves mean for college sports• Brady Quinn makes case for Notre Dame joining Big Ten
