(12-09-2017 12:50 AM)AllTideUp Wrote:  

(12-09-2017 12:08 AM)JRsec Wrote:  I think maybe so. But we'll see. However I do agree the variables were just multiplied and the end of realignment is in sight if ESPN does wind up with the PAC.

That's really my angle. If purchasing the PAC makes reorganizing the entire landscape easier then it might be worth it. Get the PAC and you get the rest of it so to speak.

That and if ESPN wants decent content for their RSNs in the West then it wouldn't hurt to have the PAC on board even if people in the East aren't watching very much. Really, the PAC's only other choice would be to go all in with FOX and hope what little exposure that network gives them is enough to keep from being raided.

Don't you get the feeling that FOX is waiving the white flag on their pursuit of college football? What I think they get out of this is a much broader inventory to sublease from ESPN without having the overhead of rights deals. Face it, if Fox doesn't bid against ESPN then the Mouse gets the Big 10 and PAC rights for less, rearranges the college football world into those 4 regional conferences that guarantees each CFP involves all areas of the country, and they sublet all the games that FOX wants without regard to confining FOX to just half of the PAC, half of the Big 12, and roughly a little more than half of the Big 10. Now FOX can take a marketable SEC / ACC / Big 10 / & PAC game for each of its time slots. So you have 4 stations airing the games of the 4 conferences for each of their time slots on Saturday. CBS gets the #1 pick of the SEC right now but what if ESPN bids for that too in 2024? Or what if CBS doesn't bid and simply sublets their 2:30 game from ESPN every week? If ESPN sublets to FOX / NBC / ABC / & CBS they can sell up to 8 more mid afternoon and early night games. They make the #2 choice for ESPN and the #5 choice for ESPN2 each week and keep 8 games from the 4 power conferences. Then the conference networks pick 2 each and any left over are available for streaming services to run.

Heck they could even bid out the top selections every week and since they own the bowls they can sublet them as well.

And what's more, the best of basketball follows suit and they have the best of college baseball to air as well and complete coverage of the softball from regionals to finals.

That's a lot of product.