[OutsiderFan]

Not having access to the Pac-12 network contracts with their TV distribution partners, I can't say for certain, but it seems you could be fairly confident assuming those contracts prohibit the conference from doing its own online streaming that would bypass the need to have cable or satellite subscriptions.  I can't imagine the conference agreed to such a moratorium indefinitely, but I'm guessing it had to be for several years at least, or else why wouldn't they offer an online subscription?

The real interesting data to know would be how many subscribers the TV partners have strictly because they carry the P-12N.  I doubt it's all that many, and I am confident the number of subscribers would be greater if it was available online on demand.  And if not greater, at least more revenue would be generated, because the Pac-12 isn't getting $9/month per cable subscriber out of its carriage deals.  It would have to get probably four (4) TV subscribers for every one online subscriber to bring in more revenue from TV deals than online subscriptions.  It's hard to imagine online wouldn't be a better way to go at this point.

But again, it all comes down to the contracts. There is no way the Pac-12 is going to make all their TV partners equity partners because that would share too much revenue with them for the schools to increase the size of their pie pieces.

[OutsiderFan]

Not having access to the Pac-12 network contracts with their TV distribution partners, I can't say for certain, but it seems you could be fairly confident assuming those contracts prohibit the conference from doing its own online streaming that would bypass the need to have cable or satellite subscriptions.  I can't imagine the conference agreed to such a moratorium indefinitely, but I'm guessing it had to be for several years at least, or else why wouldn't they offer an online subscription?

The real interesting data to know would be how many subscribers the TV partners have strictly because they carry the P-12N.  I doubt it's all that many, and I am confident the number of subscribers would be greater if it was available online on demand.  And if not greater, at least more revenue would be generated, because the Pac-12 isn't getting $9/month per cable subscriber out of its carriage deals.  It would have to get probably four (4) TV subscribers for every one online subscriber to bring in more revenue from TV deals than online subscriptions.  It's hard to imagine online wouldn't be a better way to go at this point.

But again, it all comes down to the contracts. There is no way the Pac-12 is going to make all their TV partners equity partners because that would share too much revenue with them for the schools to increase the size of their pie pieces.