Pac-12 mailbag: Merger with ACC seems like a solution, but it's much easier said than done

What do you make of former ESPN chairman John Skipper's comments that the ACC and Pac-12 should merge and that would force a renegotiation of the ACC's deal with ESPN? -- @pfnnewmedia

The terms are favorable for the network. If it can pay a reasonable amount for the Pac-12 and keep the ACC intact, why agree to a merged entity that could be more costly? In that world, the Big Ten doesn't create a western arm , and the Pac-12 members are willing to sign a grant-of-rights deal into the mid-to-late 2030s.

However, we wouldn't dismiss the possibility of an alternative path featuring a merger of the coastal conferences and the Big 12, Big Ten and SEC remaining as they are. Even Big 12 coaches and athletic directors are speaking publicly about poaching the conference — an astounding turn of events compared to the manner college sports has operated in the past.

Wilner: I cannot imagine any president would agree to join the Big 12 without knowing the final proposal from Pac-12 media partners; it would be fiscally irresponsible of them. We are all but certain that every president will know the specifics of the media deal and the expansion options before the next board meeting. There will be no surprises. If everyone is ready to move forward, they assuredly would vote before the next meeting. Kliavkoff has zero reason to wait.

Even a weekly Friday game on Amazon would carry little recruiting damage. Prime Video is available anywhere, just like ESPN+ .If the teams in the Pac-12 have their name, image and likeness games in place, and a presence on ESPN, recruiting will be fine.Wilner: Neither endgame is wrong, in our opinion.

The Broncos don't carry enough media value to qualify as a revenue-add for the existing Pac-12 schools: The Boise media market is No. 101, according to Nielsen DMAs, far smaller than Spokane, for instance.What will the Mountain West Conference do? -- @doitfresh

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Hotline mailbag: Merger with the ACC (now or later), the Pac-12’s radio silence, Friday on Amazon, Boise State’s future as the MW waitsFormer ESPN boss John Skipper believes a merger of the coastal conferences would solve numerous problems for each league.
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