SALT LAKE CITY — College sports fans took to social media and posted their reactions amid conflicting reports about the Pac-12 conference media rights hearings.
On Friday, February 24th, Action Network’s Brett McMurphy reported that ION Television has put his name in the hat for some of the Pac-12 media rights.
Of course, throwing out the name of a network that few, if any, know much about caused a lot of fear and helped double the narrative that Pac-12 is in deep trouble. But wait – it gets better!
Apple still hasn’t made a formal offer for the Pac-12 media rights, but ION Television has emerged as a potential Pac-12 partner, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ. ION TV is owned by EW Scripps Company, which operates 61 local television stations nationwide and launched Scripps Sports earlier this year
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) February 24, 2023
About an hour later, The Athletic’s Stewart Mandel contradicted the report, saying that ION Television was not discussing a partnership with the Pac-12, leading people to wonder what, if any, was true?
ION/Scripps Sports is not involved in the televised negotiations of the Pac-12, a source with direct knowledge of the situation told @TheAthletic.
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) February 24, 2023
RELATED: What’s Up With the Latest Pac-12 Media Rights Reports?
ICYMI: Mercury News Pac-12 Insider Jon Wilner caught up with Hans & Scotty G to discuss the future of the conference and if he thinks the conference will add SDSU & SMU.
🔊 https://t.co/Qlsexa5fUC. pic.twitter.com/DTIPNGSx1C
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) February 24, 2023
After the conflicting reports and days of speculation in the college football world, people shared their reactions on social media.
Social media reactions to Pac-12 media rights hearing
We’re a few days away from the Pac-12 buying airtime on The CW. https://t.co/doozMPQLz0
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) February 24, 2023
SOURCES: George Kliavkoff is “excited” to announce the latest Pac-12 broadcast partner, which promises to distribute college football content via a global TV network system.
The source says the commissioner expects Cal and Stanford to “get over it eventually, I think.” pic.twitter.com/Q3ebuM9BCv
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) February 24, 2023
I guess you could say there’s a deeply negative charge to the fan reaction to the Pac-12 potentially making a deal with ION, huh
— Matt Brown (@MattBrownEP) February 24, 2023
Pac-12 announces new media deal with The Channel On The TVs At The Gas Station. “College sports are a social experience and while fans of other leagues watch games at home, Conference of Champions fans can gather around the pump to cheer on their favorite teams.”
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) February 24, 2023
PAC 12 after dark on @ComedyCentral will have a different reception
— Albert Valdez IV (@AValdezIV) February 24, 2023
The question I have about the Ion and the PAC-12 is who leaked it? It can’t be the Big 12 because they would have liked to keep it a secret until the ink was dry.
Angry PAC-12 School Leaking Ion to McMurphy?
— Jeff Hansen (@rakoto10) February 24, 2023
The collapse of the Pac-12 would be bad for college football, period. But if we’re in the rights negotiation round of ION and Apple TV+… what are we doing here?
— Shehan Jeyarajah (@ShehanJeyarajah) February 24, 2023
soon pic.twitter.com/B64JrPttwx
— Barstool Colorado (@CUBarstool) February 24, 2023
The Pac-12 could revive Versus pic.twitter.com/otGamOTYCW
— Barrett Sallee 🇺🇸 (@BarrettSallee) February 24, 2023
The PAC 12 on PBS pic.twitter.com/CYGaDfr5ol
— Cameron Wake (@CameronWake) February 24, 2023
After careful consideration, I decided to partner with the Pac-12 to broadcast games on Valley Circle Pizza’s Instagram account, my exclusive fake pizza place’s account https://t.co/2Efft8pmr8
— Dan Rubenstein (@DanRubenstein) February 24, 2023
the new network for the PAC-12 pic.twitter.com/oyX8K62MEj
— Hector Diaz (@iamHectorDiaz) February 24, 2023
Oh cool, Blue Bloods repeats after pac12 after dark
— Brenden Schaeffer (@bschaeffer12) February 24, 2023
The Pac-12 tries to find a new TV station to work with. pic.twitter.com/pbMPIEOQG0
— Ben Stevens (@BenScottStevens) February 24, 2023
When the PAC12 said “Blue Bloods” that’s not what they meant. pic.twitter.com/Uu0SkNp6Ry
— TB (@TBGoPokes) February 24, 2023
Hawaii Five 0 fans will be furious when Washington State-Cal interrupts their show
— Kevin Borba (@Kevin__Borba) February 24, 2023
What does all this mean for the Pac-12?
Again, this is the million dollar question that has no answer until the Pac-12 and whoever really negotiated them is willing to give it to us.
With that in mind, it’s very important to point out that most of the uproar surrounding the Pac-12 and whatever their negotiations may or may not have come from the people who would be directly involved in such talks. If it sounds too good or too horrible to be true, it probably is.
The only concrete fact we have is that when the Pac-12 decided to speak, which hasn’t happened often, their message has never strayed from being united and confident about their future.
Some conflicting thoughts about what will happen with the #Pac12MediaRights came out this morning. What does it all mean?#Pac12 #ConferenceofChampions#MediaRightshttps://t.co/AGKGRb3jcR
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) February 24, 2023
Until they show otherwise, it’s probably best to believe those actually doing the conversations to determine their future, rather than outsiders trying to speculate about something they may or may not have actually heard.
Michelle Bodkin is the Utah Utes Insider for KSLsports.com and host of the Crimson Corner Podcast (SUBSCRIBED) and The Saturday Show (Saturday 10:00-12:00) on the KSL Sports Zone. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram: @BodkinKSLsports
