Larry Scott--great commissioner or greatest commissioner? Last summer's attempt at putting together the Pac-16 showed us how lofty Scott's goals could be. Although the Pac-16 dwindled to the Pac-12 (for now), Larry Scott has struck gold with an equally ambitious television rights deal.
The Pac-12 has agreed to a 12-year television contract with ESPN and Fox that reportedly will more than quadruple its media rights fees and be the most valuable for any conference in college sports.
The contract, which will begin with the 2012-13 season, was initially reported at more than $225 million per year -- or $2.7 billion over the life of the deal, according to the Sports Business Daily and The Associated Press. The New York Times later Tuesday reported the deal at $3 billion over 12 years, more than quadrupling what the two companies have been paying.
The Pac-10's old TV contracts paid about $45 million annually from ABC/ESPN and Fox. So that roughly $4.5 million per team -- recall, again, that there wasn't equal revenue sharing -- will become roughly $20.83 million per team starting in 2012 (Utah gets 50 percent in 2012, 75 percent in 2013 and a full share in 2014).
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- Games will be shown on Fox, ABC, FX, Fox Sports Net, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU.
- The Pac-12 football championship game is part of the contract and will be shown alternately on Fox and ABC.
- The conference will be the sole owner of its own network, unlike the Big Ten. Fox owns 49 percent of the Big Ten Network.
After the jump Tedford gives his impressions of how spring ball went, men's gymnastics is reinstated, and the women's water polo team brings home the school's first MPSF title.
Football
- Wilner has more details on the Pac-12 television deal.
- Ted Miller looks at the Pac-12's prospects for the 2012 NFL Draft. Six Bears give Cal the most prospects of any team on Ted's list.
- After Saturday's scrimmage Jeff Tedford talks about the QB competition, Maynard's improvement, the RB situation, and seeing his players get drafted into the NFL. JO also had the chance to talk with Brock Mansion, Allan Bridgford, Zach Maynard, Clancy Pendergast, and Sean Cattouse.
- The 2011 men's basketball team awards were handed out. Here's a list of awards and winners.
Most Valuable Player -- Jorge Gutierrez
Pete Newell Coach's Award -- Markhuri Sanders-Frison, Harper Kamp
Defensive Player of the Year -- Jorge Gutierrez
Highest Field Goal Percentage -- Markhuri Sanders-Frison (58.9 percent)
Darrall Imhoff Award (leading rebounder per game) -- Markhuri
Sanders-Frison (7.4 rpg)
Jason Kidd Award (leading assists per game) -- Jorge Gutierrez (4.4 apg)
Best Free Throw Percentage -- Harper Kamp (81.6 percent)
- After falling behind 4-0 (again), the Bears battled back and prevented an Oregon sweep with a 5-4 victory in Sunday's game.