The Pac-12 Network has been a troubled service ever since it launched back in 2012. The goal was to be the go-to source for all Pac-12 fans. Unlike similar networks like the Big Ten Network, the Pac-12 Network never found widespread distribution.
Now the struggling network is facing a $50 million dollar demand from Comcast for overpayments. This has resulted in the former president and CFO being forced out from the network.
The network has also struggled to bring in revenue. The Big Ten Network brought in $583 million in 2021, and the SEC Network reported revenue of $833 million. The Pac-12 Network earned just $37.7 million in 2021, according to Next TV.
The troubles don’t stop there. It has been announced that two Pac-12 schools in some of the largest TV markets are leaving to move to the Big Ten. These schools include UCLA and USC. Not only that but there are reports that other Pac-12 schools are considering leaving.
With USC and UCLA both leaving in the years to come, it’s very likely the Pac-12 Network will see revenue drop or dry up all together in those markets. Cable providers are very unlikely to pay the same rate without the local games. Or, the cable providers may just drop the Pac-12 Network altogether.
Of all the networks dedicated to college sports right now, the Pac-12 Network is the most likely to struggle in 2023.
Currently, the Pac-12 Network is only streaming on Fubo TV, Vidgo and Sling TV for cord cutters. Now though, rumors are starting to spread that the Pac-12 may be looking to sell off the network rights to some other company to run, similar to how the SEC Network is run by ESPN and the Big Ten Network is run by Fox. Amazon has even been one of the groups rumored as an option to buy up the rights to the Pac-12 Network to bring its programming to Amazon Prime.