We’ve finally had a break in the silence about the PAC-12 media deal. SDSU athletic director JD Wicker made some comments on where the conference is heading, and what we can expect over the coming months.
Firstly, it looks like the wait for a media partner will be over soon. By the end of March, we might know who the media partners are and rights package. One of the more floated options at the moment is TNT. They’ve been in conversations surrounding the PAC-12, and their MAX streaming service could give the PAC-12 Network a home. However, there will likely be multiple partners with ESPN also floating around in pursuit of select men’s basketball and football games. This would be a welcome sight for the PAC-12 as their lack of a TV deal has hampered their efforts to expand the conference further. With numbers still up in the air about payouts, the PAC-12 schools expect between 8-10 million dollars yearly from media rights. A number that falls well short of all the power conferences but would be at the top of all group conferences. Placing the PAC-12 in an interesting position as a tweener conference. This may be precisely the leverage they are waiting for before pursuing additional members.
The conference still needs at least one addition member before July of 2026. In an interview, Boise State AD Jeramiah Dickey added that Texas is a critical state for the conference.
With the conference quickly losing time to pursue other schools, Texas State is becoming the apparent favorite to join the conference. Barring a dramatic shift in the Mountain West or a shake-up in the ACC, the options feel limited with such a short amount of time. With eyes set on moving south, the conference will likely make another pass at Memphis, USF, UTSA, and Tulane as well. The most likely timeline is adding Texas State to meet the minimum requirements in 2026, then pursue 4 more schools for 2027 if possible. This could return the PAC back to their 12 school roster, which appears to be the ideal situation to complete the rebuild.