Pac‑12 Commissioner Teresa Gould is taking a bold new approach by leaning on basketball’s rising profile to enhance the conference’s media rights strategy.
With Texas State’s addition in 2026 bringing football membership to eight and Gonzaga reinforcing basketball credibility, Gould says networks are “really, really excited” about the league’s basketball brands.
CBS already holds the primary media contract through the 2030‑31 academic year, committing to at least four football and men’s basketball games annually, plus tournament coverage, solidifying basketball’s place alongside the gridiron. But Gould wants more than a one‑network deal. Partnering with Octagon, the Pac‑12 is aiming for varied media relationships to maximize exposure across platforms.
The pivot reflects a broader shift in the economics of college sports. Basketball viewership for some Pac‑12 programs now rivals that of its top-tier football brands, increasing the value of hoops content and the sheer number of televised matchups.
As Gould put it, basketball’s volume of games and the strength of its brands offer a compelling counterweight to football in overall media negotiations.
This evolving media rights landscape also dovetails with the Pac‑12’s expansion plans. With new members arriving in 2026 and the need to hit the NCAA’s eight‑team FBS threshold, conference leadership is in a unique position to bundle football and basketball leverage into new deals.
If the negotiations play out as Gould hopes, basketball may emerge not as a supporting act but as a headline component of the Pac‑12’s broadcast future, elevating its status from conference of champions to conference of compelling content across the court and the field.
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