Stay Tuned For The Pac-10 Channel

It seems that the Pac-10 Conference is seriously exploring the possibility of starting it's own cable channel in fact, the league expects it.

Retiring Pac-1o Commissioner Tom Hansen says he expects the conference to launch its own channel to raise its national profile which barring USC football, is barely on the radar screen plus close an huge financial gap between the Pac-10 and the other major conferences.

Hansen told the Orange County Register, "I think we will" start a Pac-10 network. "I think there will be viability and I know there's interest on our part."

Currently the Pac-10's deal with Fox Sports runs through 2012 but with the current economic situation the league is placing a sense of urgency to see if this could be a possible revenue stream.

"Our television committee is actively studying that and we're going to be undoubtedly talking to Fox Sports Net. We have three more years on the contract." Hansen said. "If, however, we were to partner with them we could advance that and go to a new model."

With its sweetheart deals with ESPN and CBS, The SEC will receive $205 million in annual TV revenue. The Pac-10 pockets $43 million a year from their TV deals with Fox and ABC/ESPN.
A fairly significant gap I must say.

"We're definitely going to be examining all possibilities," Hansen said. "Of course the SEC by threatening to form a network was able to drive some very, very attractive regular contracts with the networks and cable."

The Pac-10 doesn't have that leverage but they have to do something and starting a cable channel makes sense for a league that's becoming more and more irrelevant east of the Rockies.

It might not stop there because the ACC TV contracts expire in 2011 and they might be thinking the way the Pac-10 is feeling.

Stay tuned.