Posted on 04/30/2020 10:08:25 AM PDT by C19fan
Apple appears to be interested in acquiring the Pac-12 Conference's primary media rights package instead of a solely digital one. Currently, ESPN and Fox are the current holders of those rights, which are set to expire after the 2023-2024 season. The two companies pay a combined $250 million per year for those rights.
Back in December 2019, The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple was having "preliminary" conversations with Pac-12 in an effort to bring sports to its Apple TV+ streaming platform. Those discussions have reportedly continued through the first quarter of 2020.
In a report published on Tuesday discussing the continuing conversations, sources told Sports Business Daily that Apple sees live sports as a programming genre that can set its own streaming business apart from competitors. Sources called the conversations with Apple the most "intriguing."
(Excerpt) Read more at appleinsider.com ...
Mebbe Apple can buy enough recruits under the new payola rule to make the PAC-whatever competitive.
Of course, to increase viewership, they’ll have to start playing 9am PST games. With Apple’s tech, should be easy to CGI full stadiums and roaring crowds. (prob already in development for Corona League games)
I fail to see the logic of having so many 8:00 PM kickoffs. It's too late for many fans who attend games--they will be returning to their cars around midnight unless they leave early. And it means an 11:00 PM kickoff in the Eastern time zone.
I also fail to understand why the idiot who runs the league insists on weekday games which disrupt the educational mission of schools like USC, where students must compete with fans for parking and contend with hoards of fans passing through the campus to get to and from the Coliseum.
I get it . . . and never watch it
And I love CFB
You must be unaware of billion dollar TV contracts. Fannies in the seats are secondary.
Let me tell you a little tale to think about when you’re watching a 3-1/2 or 4 hour college game.
When I was a freshman many moons ago, my team had a prolific offense, lots of scoring, lots of penalties, lots of turnovers. And remember, way back then halftime was 30 minutes, not 22 like it is now. Long games, right?
Three games in a row I happened to look at my watch when leaving the stadium. I didn’t rush out at the final horn, but left fairly soon afterwards.
Anyway, in all three cases, my watch read 4:40. KO was at 2:00.
Find any game that ends in under 3 hours now.
I think the rule back then was to start the play clock (kept by the ref, not displayed in stadium) one minute after a change of possession. So either one quick commercial on televised games - or stay there and actually discuss the game. Now you get 3-1/2-4 minute stoppages of play between about 2/3rds of possessions.
A few years ago they changed clock rules with the effect of reducing number of plays by about 10 total (to make more room for commercials). So, you get a smaller candy bar in the same size wrapper.
It’s all about TV money and the fans in attendance be damned.
“The Pac 12 network has been a complete disaster”
totally ... the fools who moved Colorado Buffaloes from Big 8/Big 12 to pac-12 destroyed a hundred years worth of rivalries ... probably on purpose, as the leftist forces in Boulder HATE CU football and have been doing everything in their power for the last 20 years to destroy the program ...
at any rate, IF Apple TV+ gets exclusive rights to PAC-12, it gives me a great, guilt-free excuse to not watch anymore of CU’s pathetic football efforts ... i’m watching way too much college football anyway ... plus, i’d rather watch GOOD football teams play GOOD football ...
I view this news with some apprehension. What happens when contracts expire for the SEC or ACC networks? Could entities like Amazon Prime, Hulu, You Tube TV et al dilute the market more by picking them up? I’d hate to have to subscribe to a service just to see my team play.
If it’s JUST your team you want to see play, then you would be money ahead to subscribe to the streaming service that carries that conference.
Instead, now you get to pay for multiple conferences through contracts to show games a half (or more) continent away that you don’t care about.
For instance, I care about Big 12 college sports. But my local Cable company ‘gives’ us Big10 sports package. It’s not an optional package because they knew not enough subscriber would ‘pay’ for an extra. Instead they make it a basic channel so everyone pays for it instead of just those that want to watch it. (Exactly like CNN or MSNBC).
If you like to watch games all over the nation then, yes, the current system is advantageous.
(Yes, I know, cancel my cable!) Save the keystrokes.
Will they show track and field?
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