Arizona and Arizona State coaches typically do not agree on a lot.
But a former Sun Devils coach and a former Wildcats coach have discovered widespread floor of their fear concerning the state of the convention they used to educate in.
Dennis Erickson, who coached Arizona State from 2007-2011 and Rich Rodriguez, who coached Arizona from 2012-2017, have been amongst a number of former Pac-12 soccer coaches quoted in a current CBS Sports story questioning the way forward for the convention amid the league’s incapability to land a brand new media rights deal and amid swirling faculty convention realignment hypothesis.
“What is to cease Oregon and Washington from going to the Big Ten, from Arizona and Arizona State going to the Big 12?” Rodriguez, now the coach at Jacksonville State, instructed CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd within the story. “I’d suppose they’re teetering on the brink proper now.”
Rodriguez addressed the Pac-12’s ongoing media rights deal saga within the story amid stories that the convention might doubtlessly associate with a streaming service for video games.
“I do know most all people can get ESPN+ or the streaming issues,” Rodriguez mentioned. “You’re not going to have it on within the bars. … Your visibility won’t ever be the identical, ever. Then there’s simply the notion, ‘Oh, you guys performed? I did not see it.’ And then you definately will not be talked about.”
More:Pac-12 on ION Television? Conference slammed after potential TV media associate report
Erickson speculated concerning the lack of a TV deal impacting recruiting within the convention.
“It’s good when you possibly can flip it on a daily channel and never fear about all that different stuff,” Erickson instructed CBS Sports. “I believe it can harm them in recruiting, no query.”
Interestingly, Rodriguez questioned concerning the ardour of followers in Arizona within the story.
“We at all times thought, at Arizona, [in general] they like soccer, however I do not know in the event that they actually love it,” Rodriguez mentioned. “So, as soon as [the players] go away our soccer constructing, they don’t seem to be listening to folks discuss soccer lots. We needed to make it actually, actually essential moreso than possibly we actually ought to have. We needed them to really feel how essential it was to our gamers.
“When you come out right here to the Southeast, you do not have to fret about that.”
More:Pac-12 growth, realignment: Arizona State AD addresses hypothesis amid media deal saga
Right now, Pac-12 followers are frightened concerning the convention’s unsure future amid faculty convention growth and realignment hypothesis.
They aren’t the one ones, as CBS Sports identified of their story about former Pac-12 coaches worrying concerning the convention’s future.
This quote to CBS Sports from former Oregon coach Mike Bellotti was very telling:
“I’ve that impending sense of doom,” Bellotti instructed Dodd. “All my life, I’ve at all times been a West Coast man. … I can simply see [the Pac-12] falling aside.”
More:Pac-12 growth prediction: San Diego State, SMU, Mountain West makeover for convention
Others additionally painted a bleak image for the convention amid its media rights saga:
KSL: Pac-12 may very well be ripe for the selecting even with new media deal
Patrick Kinahan wrote: “Even then, with media rights companions on board, the brand new Pac-12 nonetheless may very well be ripe for the selecting. Down the road, the Big Ten, once more, might come calling as soon as the convention finds a means for networks to pony up extra money so as to add colleges out west along with USC and UCLA. Any Big Ten or Big 12 growth that raids the Pac-12 would end result in deep trouble for any colleges not included. The collateral injury might result in the demise of the Pac-12, however the convention’s current assertion saying the remaining 10 members have been dedicated to remain collectively.”
Outkick: Pac-12’s media rights state of affairs spiraling downward
David Hookstead wrote: “It was reported George Kliavkoff was given till mid-April to get this example discovered. Well, that’s roughly six weeks away, and the Pac-12 appears to be in panic mode. It’s nearly as if the ship goes down, and the convention is scrambling from potential associate to potential associate to see if there’s a lifeboat anyplace. Right now, it seems the boats have been launched and the Pac-12 isn’t on one.”
More:Pac-12 growth, realignment hypothesis: Media rights state of affairs bleak for convention?
Michael McCarthy wrote: “The silk gloves have come off in media rights negotiations between Amazon and the Pac-12 Conference. And right here comes the metal fist that’s helped make Amazon the nation’s dominant e-commerce firm. Amazon is ‘enjoying hardball’ in media rights negotiations with the hapless faculty convention, sources instructed Front Office Sports. The tech big is holding out for the most effective sport matchups and finest monetary phrases, sources mentioned. … That leaves Amazon, Fox Sports, NBC, and ESPN amongst a dwindling listing of suitors for the Conference of Champions. The drawback for the Pac-12 is many of the massive media entities have inked soccer offers lately. Or they’re hoarding money because the U.S. promoting market weakens and an financial recession looms.”
Deseret News: Pac-12 dangers additional mockery if it does not safe new media rights deal quickly
Dick Harmon wrote: “All teasing apart, the longer the Pac-12 media rights negotiation drags alongside — it’s been happening since early fall — the extra the historically proud model, the Conference of Champions, will take hits.”
More:Big 12 growth, realignment hypothesis: Conference ‘ready’ so as to add Pac-12 groups
Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
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