The new-look Pac-12 has found its final media rights partner. On Thursday, Versant, the NBCUniversal spinoff company set to officially launch in January, announced that its freshly branded sports arm, USA Sports, has signed a five-year deal with the Pac-12 starting in 2026.
According to the company’s announcement, USA Network will broadcast 22 regular season football games, 50 regular season men’s basketball games, all rounds of the Pac-12 Tournament before the championship game, and 5 to 10 regular season women’s basketball games as part of the agreement.
Beginning next season, the Pac-12 will feature Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Gonzaga (basketball), Oregon State, San Diego State, Texas State, Utah State, and Washington State. The deal completes the Pac-12’s new set of media rights agreements to coincide with the conference’s expansion next year.
Earlier this year, the Pac-12 announced separate deals with CBS and The CW. CBS will broadcast a limited amount of the conference’s most premium inventory, while The CW will air 13 regular season football games and 35 men’s basketball games under its agreement.
“USA Sports is proud to partner with the new Pac-12 and showcase the league to a national audience on USA Network,” said Matt Hong, President of USA Sports, in a press release. “Our partnership further establishes USA Network as a destination for all sports fans, with weekends packed with Pac-12 football doubleheaders and men’s and women’s basketball double- and triple-headers beginning next fall.”
Versant is quickly working to bolster its live sports portfolio as it prepares to operate outside the NBC umbrella. Pac-12 Enterprises, the production arm of the conference, will produce all broadcasts for USA Network.
https://awfulannouncing.com/versant/usa-sports-media-rights-deal-pac-12.html
