It is behind a paywall so I will not post the whole story for those that do not subscribe to it, but I will post this little nugget on Direct TV
"They came close, once, in September 2015, after AT&T — already a conference partner — took over DirecTV. According to a summary of the proposal provided to the conference CEO Group and obtained by The Athletic, the deal would have netted a projected $35 million in revenue in the first year (nearly $3 million per school), and would have put the network on DirecTV’s “Choice” tier — granting the Pac-12 access to some 16.4 million new households nationwide. The Pac-12 Networks’ entire subscriber base was estimated at around 19 million at its peak (it has since decreased, per Wilner).
Scott recommended AT&T’s offer to the conference presidents and chancellors for approval.
The network could have been available on DirecTV as soon as that weekend. But there was a catch. As part of the deal, the 12 universities would be required to spend in the seven figures annually on AT&T telecom services, with the company becoming a “preferred” provider.
The presidents voted against accepting the deal.
By the time Shuken took over as Pac-12 Networks president in September 2017, two years after those failed DirecTV negotiations, the understanding was clear. “I was under no impression five years ago that at that stage DirecTV was going to launch the networks,” he said.
At that point, the Big Ten Network was already well-established. The ESPN-owned SEC Network launched in 2014 with full distribution. Both leagues utilized the success of their networks and their robust media rights deals to invest in coaches, facilities and recruiting staff. That intensified the scrutiny placed upon Scott, the media rights deal and the networks."
Mark Shuken, Pac-12 Networks president is the person quoted above.
"They came close, once, in September 2015, after AT&T — already a conference partner — took over DirecTV. According to a summary of the proposal provided to the conference CEO Group and obtained by The Athletic, the deal would have netted a projected $35 million in revenue in the first year (nearly $3 million per school), and would have put the network on DirecTV’s “Choice” tier — granting the Pac-12 access to some 16.4 million new households nationwide. The Pac-12 Networks’ entire subscriber base was estimated at around 19 million at its peak (it has since decreased, per Wilner).
Scott recommended AT&T’s offer to the conference presidents and chancellors for approval.
The network could have been available on DirecTV as soon as that weekend. But there was a catch. As part of the deal, the 12 universities would be required to spend in the seven figures annually on AT&T telecom services, with the company becoming a “preferred” provider.
The presidents voted against accepting the deal.
By the time Shuken took over as Pac-12 Networks president in September 2017, two years after those failed DirecTV negotiations, the understanding was clear. “I was under no impression five years ago that at that stage DirecTV was going to launch the networks,” he said.
At that point, the Big Ten Network was already well-established. The ESPN-owned SEC Network launched in 2014 with full distribution. Both leagues utilized the success of their networks and their robust media rights deals to invest in coaches, facilities and recruiting staff. That intensified the scrutiny placed upon Scott, the media rights deal and the networks."
Mark Shuken, Pac-12 Networks president is the person quoted above.
