Oregon State and Washington State, the two teams left in the decimated Pac-12, are reportedly close to a new TV deal.
College football insider John Canzano, who is also a radio host for Portland’s 750 The Game, reported Tuesday that the two schools “are putting the final touches” on a TV package, believed to be with The CW Network, for the 2024 football season.
Oregon State and Washington State were left to pick up the pieces of the Pac-12 after the other 10 member schools departed for the ACC, Big Ten and Big 12. New conference commissioner Teresa Gould, who assumed that post in late February, said recently there had been “great interest” in media rights for the two schools. Oregon State is coming off an 8-5 football season that saw them climb as high as 10th in the AP Top 25. Washington State was nationally ranked in September and October before fading to a 5-7 finish.
The CW deal would actually bring both schools more exposure than their old media rights deal with the Pac-12 Network. As Canzano points out, The CW is carried on 203 stations covering almost 100% of U.S. households. The Pac-12 Network generally had between 12 million and 19 million subscribers.
“The goal was a broader reach with exposure than what we previously had on the Pac-12 Networks,” a source reportedly told Canzano.
The deal is being marketed as a package of 13 games, with the Beavers playing seven home games and the Cougars six. Oregon State and Washington State have a scheduling agreement with the Mountain West Conference and those road games against opponents such as Boise State, UNLV and San Jose State will air on Fox and CBS.
The CW has been aggressive in acquiring sports media rights, although it’s still an unknown entity for many; Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney said last fall, “I have no idea what it is. I don’t even know where it’s at,” when asked about the ACC’s new deal with the network. The network also holds rights for NASCAR and LIV Golf.
Ironically, The CW had reportedly talked with the Pac-12 about a TV deal in early 2023, but those talks fell through. The conference failed to cement a new package, leading to a mass exodus of 10 of the 12 member schools.
[JohnCanzano.com]
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.