As an Eastern Oregon season ticket holder I'm not excited about the late start times. I do like that I know well in advance and can plan ahead. Go Beavs
In May 2024 the ACC had multi-times scheduled through mid-September including The CW. As of April 30, 2025 only one ACC game on The CW is known: Wake Forest vs Oregon State.
I assume that 2026 with more Pac teams than two to schedule would likely bring a return to 6-12 day notice for the Pac.
Great news, for all the hand-wringing, the Pac-12 really delivered. Every home game on easily-viewed networks, with pre-determined kickoff times so you can plan everything out well in advance.
If this is a preview of the upcoming Pac-12 contract starting in 2026, I'm impressed. Look for the announcement for the final one or two teams in the near future.
The Pac-12 won't be a power conference (neither will the ACC or Big 16 either, the way things are going) but we will be the best of the G6, have a regular contender for the CFP, and be one tough men's basketball league, without spending $200-250M a year on athletics and $20+m on NIL.
It's a positive step forward. I love that the kickoffs are set ahead of time. It's doesn't help me personally since I live far away now but I remember when I had season tickets the constantly moving kickoffs was a problem.
I know this isn't a popular opinion, but I'm quite happy to see the Cougs have a 7 PM kickoff week 1 against Idaho, and 7:15 in week 2 for San Diego State. Last year, it was 94 at kickoff at high noon for the week 1 game against Portland State. It was brutal for anyone on in the north grandstand facing the sun.
Even during week 2 against Texas Tech, a 7 PM start, it was still 87 at kickoff. I was still perfectly comfortable in a t-shirt and shorts as the clock hit 0:00 by nearly 10:45 at night.
Overall, thrilled with this outcome for 2025. I'd forgotten how nice it was to know the kickoff times months in advance. That notion had become a relic of the past.
I agree. That heat killed attendance. I know late starts are a nightmare for those traveling, but as a local, I love having the whole Saturday to enjoy, followed by a game at night.
Glad to heard 2025 is done and that the times are nailed down too. I expect there will be an official announcement today. Then off to expansion and the 5 year contract.
Great news and even better exposure for Oregon State and Washington State. The only thing I don’t care for, and will probably never change, is too many late kickoffs for us out of market fans.
The killers for me are any games at 7:00 or later in November. A four-hour drive home in the dark, with traffic slow initially, then November rain/fog or even snow is not enjoyable.
It’s tough being an Oregonian living in Texas. Those 9:30 pm Central Time kickoffs are brutal. I suspect the television scheduling for the new PAC-12 will probably be the same. Nothing we can do change it. It won’t keep me from watching, nonetheless.
Actually, the lower half of the Big 18 is leftover inventory for the premium networks too, and gets stuck on the Big 18 Network or Peacock. Same with the lower half of the ACC or the SEC, which get buried on the ACC or SEC networks.
The difference is the absolute best possible NewPac12 matchup imaginable is equivalent to a lower tier B1G game that gets relegated to the conference network
We're not in a power conference anymore. So it goes. We'll be the top G6 league in the country, and many years we'll be equal with the Big 16, which is a P4 league in name only.
The top 1-2 teams in the Pac-12 will have a much-easier route to the CFP than 3/4 of the Big 18.
There will probably be only one "G6" or just one from the Pac. If OSU builds to compete with Boise State there is a high probability of OSU being the one. Better odds than a fifth place team in the Big Ten which may actually have a better strength of schedule than BSU/OSU. It's why I've never subscribed to the doom-and-gloom that affected many Beavers fans.
Either have I. It would be absolutely ridiculous for OSU to spend between $200-250m per year on athletics, and another $20M on NIL. Those costs are only going to increase.
We're a land-, sea-, space- and sun-grant university. Others can spend hundreds of millions chasing the dream and be the sports-grant universities.
Maybe we won't be where we used to be in the athletic pecking order, but we will be where we probably should be.
@Jean Southworth. Hi Jean, instead of simply calling out Doug, how 'bout you share your thoughts on the matter. I assume you believe he's wrong. It would be interesting to hear your perspective on why. What I like best about this forum is getting insights from a broad spectrum of fans. Especially those that are passionate, which I believe both you and Doug to be.
Jean, I appreciate the response. Not sure how Doug's, or anyone else's comments, prevent OSU and WSU fans from enjoying this good news. If in your heart of hearts you believe this is a positive development, any and all negative opinions on it shouldn't matter all. Glad the deal got done, and I hope it generates excitement and hope for the future of the new PAC.
Great news! The CW and Pac-12 pairing just feels like a natural fit for a long-term partnership, and I'm starting to feel stability with this. The CW’s recent pivot to sports, with Pac12 and ACC football, shows it’s hungry for live programming to boost viewership. The CW and the Pac12 can grow and expand together (let the branding begin) with ESPN, CBS and others in the mix.
I was a little surprised to see ESPN involved, because I didn't think the network had a need. I'm told both of those games will be on real ESPN, not ESPN2 or whatever. Clearly, ESPN wants night games in the Pacific Time Zone. I suspect they'll be into the new-look Pac-12 in that way as well. CBS is also real CBS... and not CBS Sports Network. It's big exposure.
Looking at the ACC schedule for 2024, ESPN family did have some Friday nights and ESPN2. For 2026 I wouldn't draw many conclusions from regular ESPN for a couple Pac games in 2025. Especially if two ACC teams are involved vs two former Mt. West teams.
Great news to wake up to, John. But I've got a question about how this news breaks. Did you receive this news overnight and churn out this article while most of us were counting sheep? Or were you aware of the details a few days/weeks ago with the article already written but unable to release it until an embargo on the news was lifted? (I know that's how automotive journalism regularly works).
I wrote late last night. Some of the final details were fluid. I reported two weeks ago that The CW piece was finalized, and the deal involved "two other major carriers." I originally speculated that those other partners might be Fox/Turner, but could be others. Was told by a source that the deal was set to be announced last week, but there was a small administrative delay involving the movement of one game. I soon confirmed and reported the Houston-OSU game move to a Friday late last week. Admittedly, I was a little surprised to see ESPN and CBS involved, but got that confirmed, and heard Monday that the Pac-12 might be preparing a formal public announcement for Tuesday morning... got that confirmed... then, last night, I reached out to Bob Thompson for some industry analysis -- he was watching the Avalanche NHL game when I bugged him at home -- and wrote this piece late late last night. Woke at 4:59 a.m. and got it posted.
Yup the CW is airing the whole season of NASCAR's Xfinty Series this year and will have races 9 of the first 10 weeks of the college football season. So, most Saturdays in September and October they will have an ACC football game, a NASCAR race, and sometimes a Pac 12 game
This is a huge win for WSU and OSU to have all of their home games on networks that reach most customers. PAC-12 After Dark is back!
Feels like ESPN sees the "after dark" potential there.
Core Pac12 fans like Pac12 After Dark as much as SEC fans would like SEC Before Sunrise.
Core Pac12 fans like Pac12 After Dark as much as SEC fans would like SEC Before Sunrise.
All good news John. We appreciate you keeping us, your faithful PAC-12 followers informed. Go Beavs in 2025.
As an Eastern Oregon season ticket holder I'm not excited about the late start times. I do like that I know well in advance and can plan ahead. Go Beavs
The planning is huge.
In May 2024 the ACC had multi-times scheduled through mid-September including The CW. As of April 30, 2025 only one ACC game on The CW is known: Wake Forest vs Oregon State.
I assume that 2026 with more Pac teams than two to schedule would likely bring a return to 6-12 day notice for the Pac.
Great news, for all the hand-wringing, the Pac-12 really delivered. Every home game on easily-viewed networks, with pre-determined kickoff times so you can plan everything out well in advance.
If this is a preview of the upcoming Pac-12 contract starting in 2026, I'm impressed. Look for the announcement for the final one or two teams in the near future.
The Pac-12 won't be a power conference (neither will the ACC or Big 16 either, the way things are going) but we will be the best of the G6, have a regular contender for the CFP, and be one tough men's basketball league, without spending $200-250M a year on athletics and $20+m on NIL.
It's a positive step forward. I love that the kickoffs are set ahead of time. It's doesn't help me personally since I live far away now but I remember when I had season tickets the constantly moving kickoffs was a problem.
I know this isn't a popular opinion, but I'm quite happy to see the Cougs have a 7 PM kickoff week 1 against Idaho, and 7:15 in week 2 for San Diego State. Last year, it was 94 at kickoff at high noon for the week 1 game against Portland State. It was brutal for anyone on in the north grandstand facing the sun.
Even during week 2 against Texas Tech, a 7 PM start, it was still 87 at kickoff. I was still perfectly comfortable in a t-shirt and shorts as the clock hit 0:00 by nearly 10:45 at night.
Overall, thrilled with this outcome for 2025. I'd forgotten how nice it was to know the kickoff times months in advance. That notion had become a relic of the past.
Go Cougs!
I agree. That heat killed attendance. I know late starts are a nightmare for those traveling, but as a local, I love having the whole Saturday to enjoy, followed by a game at night.
Glad to heard 2025 is done and that the times are nailed down too. I expect there will be an official announcement today. Then off to expansion and the 5 year contract.
Wonderful news for this season. On to finding an 8th all sports team and a new five year broadcast contract.
John, can the games that say on ESPN be moved to ESPN2 or ESPN U or the games on CBS be moved to CBS Sport Network?
I am told it's regular ESPN... and regular CBS
Great news and even better exposure for Oregon State and Washington State. The only thing I don’t care for, and will probably never change, is too many late kickoffs for us out of market fans.
I just like that fans know when the games kick off. But yeah, I'd prefer to see every game kick off at 1p
As a Corvallis resident, the 7 p.m. games aren't that much of an inconvenience. I can see why out-of-towners don't like them, though.
The best kickoff times are 3:30 or 4 p.m. Time to do early-morning chores before tailgating, and you can get home by 8 p.m. or so.
But knowing the kickoff times in advance is HUGE. So nice to be able to plan.
The killers for me are any games at 7:00 or later in November. A four-hour drive home in the dark, with traffic slow initially, then November rain/fog or even snow is not enjoyable.
And the hotels make it difficult to stay overnight by demanding two-night minimums and jacking up their prices.
It’s tough being an Oregonian living in Texas. Those 9:30 pm Central Time kickoffs are brutal. I suspect the television scheduling for the new PAC-12 will probably be the same. Nothing we can do change it. It won’t keep me from watching, nonetheless.
Thank you for the info John. I’ll still be watching, even the games that are late kickoffs.
Starting in 2026 it’s likely a lot of late kicks and 12 day windows
The PAC-12 is leftover inventory for the premium networks. It’s gonna be a lot of late games in the 2026-31 contact too.
Actually, the lower half of the Big 18 is leftover inventory for the premium networks too, and gets stuck on the Big 18 Network or Peacock. Same with the lower half of the ACC or the SEC, which get buried on the ACC or SEC networks.
Yep. But those schools still get the B1G cash
The difference is the absolute best possible NewPac12 matchup imaginable is equivalent to a lower tier B1G game that gets relegated to the conference network
We're not in a power conference anymore. So it goes. We'll be the top G6 league in the country, and many years we'll be equal with the Big 16, which is a P4 league in name only.
The top 1-2 teams in the Pac-12 will have a much-easier route to the CFP than 3/4 of the Big 18.
It’s a Power 2, not a Power 4
Oregon is better off in the B1G. Oregon State can absolutely be better off in the NewPac12 too. Could be a win for both athletic departments
There will probably be only one "G6" or just one from the Pac. If OSU builds to compete with Boise State there is a high probability of OSU being the one. Better odds than a fifth place team in the Big Ten which may actually have a better strength of schedule than BSU/OSU. It's why I've never subscribed to the doom-and-gloom that affected many Beavers fans.
Either have I. It would be absolutely ridiculous for OSU to spend between $200-250m per year on athletics, and another $20M on NIL. Those costs are only going to increase.
We're a land-, sea-, space- and sun-grant university. Others can spend hundreds of millions chasing the dream and be the sports-grant universities.
Maybe we won't be where we used to be in the athletic pecking order, but we will be where we probably should be.
Why do you care, Doug?
He persistently and pervasively demonstrates why much of the Knight School fan base is held in such well earned contempt.
@Jean Southworth. Hi Jean, instead of simply calling out Doug, how 'bout you share your thoughts on the matter. I assume you believe he's wrong. It would be interesting to hear your perspective on why. What I like best about this forum is getting insights from a broad spectrum of fans. Especially those that are passionate, which I believe both you and Doug to be.
My thoughts for Doug? How about allowing OSU/WSU to enjoy their rare moment of good news without immediately rain-dropping on the parade?
Jean, I appreciate the response. Not sure how Doug's, or anyone else's comments, prevent OSU and WSU fans from enjoying this good news. If in your heart of hearts you believe this is a positive development, any and all negative opinions on it shouldn't matter all. Glad the deal got done, and I hope it generates excitement and hope for the future of the new PAC.
Doug’s comment was an obvious put down of the PAC schools. It is obvious and uncalled for.
Why wouldn’t I? I’m a fan of college sports and I follow all of the off the field stuff as well as on the field. This is newsworthy and interesting
He persistently and pervasively demonstrates why much of the Knight School fan base is held in such well earned contempt.
He persistently and pervasively demonstrates why much of the Knight School fan base is held in such well earned contempt.
He persistently and pervasively demonstrates why much of the Knight School fan base is held in such well earned contempt.
Great news! The CW and Pac-12 pairing just feels like a natural fit for a long-term partnership, and I'm starting to feel stability with this. The CW’s recent pivot to sports, with Pac12 and ACC football, shows it’s hungry for live programming to boost viewership. The CW and the Pac12 can grow and expand together (let the branding begin) with ESPN, CBS and others in the mix.
Thanks for your tireless work on all of this, John.
Are you surprised Fox is out and CBS/ESPN are in for 2025?
I was a little surprised to see ESPN involved, because I didn't think the network had a need. I'm told both of those games will be on real ESPN, not ESPN2 or whatever. Clearly, ESPN wants night games in the Pacific Time Zone. I suspect they'll be into the new-look Pac-12 in that way as well. CBS is also real CBS... and not CBS Sports Network. It's big exposure.
Especially if they (ESPN) can get the Pac to do a weekly Friday late night window, like this Houston game
Looking at the ACC schedule for 2024, ESPN family did have some Friday nights and ESPN2. For 2026 I wouldn't draw many conclusions from regular ESPN for a couple Pac games in 2025. Especially if two ACC teams are involved vs two former Mt. West teams.
Great news to wake up to, John. But I've got a question about how this news breaks. Did you receive this news overnight and churn out this article while most of us were counting sheep? Or were you aware of the details a few days/weeks ago with the article already written but unable to release it until an embargo on the news was lifted? (I know that's how automotive journalism regularly works).
I wrote late last night. Some of the final details were fluid. I reported two weeks ago that The CW piece was finalized, and the deal involved "two other major carriers." I originally speculated that those other partners might be Fox/Turner, but could be others. Was told by a source that the deal was set to be announced last week, but there was a small administrative delay involving the movement of one game. I soon confirmed and reported the Houston-OSU game move to a Friday late last week. Admittedly, I was a little surprised to see ESPN and CBS involved, but got that confirmed, and heard Monday that the Pac-12 might be preparing a formal public announcement for Tuesday morning... got that confirmed... then, last night, I reached out to Bob Thompson for some industry analysis -- he was watching the Avalanche NHL game when I bugged him at home -- and wrote this piece late late last night. Woke at 4:59 a.m. and got it posted.
I believe you were the first person to report on the new 2025 media deal at 5am ish. Way to go John, thanks for all the hard work!
Had time for a nice phone call with Bob Thompson it seems in between.
Called Bob late last night.
Oregon, Washington, Stanford, & Cal
...realize your greed,
and desperation
...return to the
PAC Whatever
...you will regret leaving your family
...perhaps you already do
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
What are the financial details of this TV deal?
I like the CW spaced out the games (~noon and ~7pm) but afraid there will be some auto racing squeezed in between :)
Go Cougs!
Yup the CW is airing the whole season of NASCAR's Xfinty Series this year and will have races 9 of the first 10 weeks of the college football season. So, most Saturdays in September and October they will have an ACC football game, a NASCAR race, and sometimes a Pac 12 game