As the demise of the Pac-12 conference looms, few comprehend the reason behind this sudden unravelling of the most decorated conference in NCAA. A closer look unveils a clear link to a critical court ruling in 1984 that shaped the landscape of how Americans watch college sports – NCAA v. Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma.
Once upon a time in televised college sports
The allure of college sports was evident as far back as the TV experimental era of the 1930s with the first televised college football game broadcast in 1939. Early on, colleges saw the potential and struck deals to broadcast their games regionally. However, it wasn’t until 1951 that the NCAA caved in and authorized televised broadcasts of sold-out games, paving the way for the first coast-to-coast live football game broadcast.
Over the next decades, the NCAA increased the availability of televised games slowly, responding to pressure from various conferences. Independent bowl games like the Rose Bowl offered proof of potential returns from televised sports, leading to the realization that televised college sports could be a goldmine.
Upturning the NCAA’s TV rights control
By 1977, several universities, frustrated with the restrictions limiting their media exposure and revenue, formed the College Football Association (CFA) to challenge the NCAA’s hegemony over television rights. This move led to a dramatic standoff between the CFA, NBC, the NCAA, CBS, and ABC. The tension intensified until two CFA member schools, the University of Oklahoma and the University of Georgia, filed a lawsuit to reclaim their television rights.
Taking NCAA to the Supreme Court
In 1984, the NCAA appealed to the Supreme Court after both district and circuit courts ruled that the broadcast restrictions constituted unfair restraint on the free market. The Supreme Court ruling sided with the CFA, igniting a sea change that opened the doors for individual conferences to negotiate their media contracts.
A windfall of revenues
As conferences began to navigate their media rights, TV networks and streaming services transformed college football into a cash cow. Today, the Big Ten commands over US$1 billion in media rights, and the flood of money doesn’t stop there. The College Football Playoff negotiated an independent contract worth $1.3 billion a year over six years with ESPN.
These financial gains coincide with 67% of Americans questioning the NCAA’s relationship with conferences, colleges, and student-athletes. Although the NCAA has made changes to allow athletes to profit from their name, image, and likeness following legalization in several states, numerous lawsuits question the nonemployee status of student-athletes.
The fall of the Pac-12 conference
As the Pac-12 conference faces potential extinction, the connection to the television rights negotiation is evident. The Big Ten’s historic deal in 2022 offered lucrative deals to schools, leaving the Pac-12 looking for counteroffers. However, a lack of interest led to most schools leaving for other conferences, turning their backs on over a century of history.
While the future seemed to promise changes, no one anticipated the extent of this ‘madness’ that the 1984 court ruling precipitated. As the television tug of war continues, the financial gains keep reshaping the landscape of college sports – even if it means that tradition falls by the wayside.
