[Farm93]

I've not been a fan of many of the TV changes that have happened under Scott. The one I'll never understand is Pac-12 After Dark. Games are already later than in other areas by dint of being in the Pacific time zone. So why put them later?

They were put later because the TV networks offered more money if the Pac 12 would put more games later. 

It's been a year or more since I looked this up, but at that time it turned out that Pac 12 games in these later slots got bigger audiences than the Pac 12 games in early slots. Apparently this is because the TV networks are correct, and the competition with other games is more decisive than the competition with sleeping (or other night activities).

There isn't competition. The Pac-12 games are already later than other conferences' games. A game at 4:00 is already at 7:00. Afternoon games are over by the time these start. Eastern games are played closer to noon, not at 7:00.

There are plenty of games that start at 4PM PDT or 7PM Eastern/6PM Central   
The SEC's featured ESPN games are normally starting at 4:30PM PDT.   They routinely have games that start at 5PM PDT.  Sometimes later.
 
The Big12 has a bounty of games that start at 6PM PDT (8PM local).   In fact, even those 8PM Pac-12 After Dark games are often kicked to obscure channels and/or webcasts as those Big12 games take FOREVER to complete. 

The reality is that sports on the East Coast often end after midnight.  And often start at 9PM local if the game is intended for a national audience or are played in "minor" conferences eager to get some of their teams on TV.

To get really clear of all of that content certain to generate higher ratings (SEC for football/ACC for hoops)
Pac-12 After Dark really means Pac-12 After more popular conferences end their day.   And thanks to East Coast and Southern fans willingness to stay at stadiums and arenas well beyond midnight the truth is ESPN and Fox probably would prefer Pac-12 After Dark could provide 8PM or even 9PM kicks and tips. 

The Pac-12 fans complain if games are too early or too late. 
The Pac-12 fans complain if the sun is too bright or if the weather is not perfect.  Worse the Cali fans don't even show up if there is rain in the forecast.
The Pac-12 fans grumble about trying to get through commute traffic for midweek games (rather than take the whole day off like the SEC types would do).
The true Pac-12 alums don't really have a ton of passion to watch their teams on the road.
And, worse, non-college educated citizens in the Pac-12 footprint generally don't care about college sports or the Pac-12.

The idea that the Pac-12 deal is even close to the SEC deal in financial terms is a miracle. 

The Pac-12 fans that do watch are generally more affluent which is valuable to some advertisers, but for most products the passionate and numerous eyeballs watching the SEC is a better ad placement choice.

[Farm93]

I've not been a fan of many of the TV changes that have happened under Scott. The one I'll never understand is Pac-12 After Dark. Games are already later than in other areas by dint of being in the Pacific time zone. So why put them later?

They were put later because the TV networks offered more money if the Pac 12 would put more games later. 

It's been a year or more since I looked this up, but at that time it turned out that Pac 12 games in these later slots got bigger audiences than the Pac 12 games in early slots. Apparently this is because the TV networks are correct, and the competition with other games is more decisive than the competition with sleeping (or other night activities).

There isn't competition. The Pac-12 games are already later than other conferences' games. A game at 4:00 is already at 7:00. Afternoon games are over by the time these start. Eastern games are played closer to noon, not at 7:00.

There are plenty of games that start at 4PM PDT or 7PM Eastern/6PM Central   
The SEC's featured ESPN games are normally starting at 4:30PM PDT.   They routinely have games that start at 5PM PDT.  Sometimes later.
 
The Big12 has a bounty of games that start at 6PM PDT (8PM local).   In fact, even those 8PM Pac-12 After Dark games are often kicked to obscure channels and/or webcasts as those Big12 games take FOREVER to complete. 

The reality is that sports on the East Coast often end after midnight.  And often start at 9PM local if the game is intended for a national audience or are played in "minor" conferences eager to get some of their teams on TV.

To get really clear of all of that content certain to generate higher ratings (SEC for football/ACC for hoops)
Pac-12 After Dark really means Pac-12 After more popular conferences end their day.   And thanks to East Coast and Southern fans willingness to stay at stadiums and arenas well beyond midnight the truth is ESPN and Fox probably would prefer Pac-12 After Dark could provide 8PM or even 9PM kicks and tips. 

The Pac-12 fans complain if games are too early or too late. 
The Pac-12 fans complain if the sun is too bright or if the weather is not perfect.  Worse the Cali fans don't even show up if there is rain in the forecast.
The Pac-12 fans grumble about trying to get through commute traffic for midweek games (rather than take the whole day off like the SEC types would do).
The true Pac-12 alums don't really have a ton of passion to watch their teams on the road.
And, worse, non-college educated citizens in the Pac-12 footprint generally don't care about college sports or the Pac-12.

The idea that the Pac-12 deal is even close to the SEC deal in financial terms is a miracle. 

The Pac-12 fans that do watch are generally more affluent which is valuable to some advertisers, but for most products the passionate and numerous eyeballs watching the SEC is a better ad placement choice.