We rarely hear from the Pac-12 presidents and chancellors on athletic matters, much less on a topic as close to the conference’s heart as the state of the Pac-12 Networks.

It’s understandable: Only three of the 10 presidents who hired commissioner Larry Scott in 2009 remain in office. Most members of the current group have come aboard within the past two years.

Two of the long-tenured three, Arizona State’s Michael Crow and Oregon State’s Ed Ray, are extremely influential within the leadership group.

As the Hotline reported in August, both are highly supportive of the Pac-12 Networks and Scott’s stewardship of the conference.

Given that backdrop, it’s notable when one of the presidents speaks up. And Washington State’s Kirk Schulz didn’t just speak up; he offered a stark assessment of the Pac-12 Networks.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday in the wake of WSU athletic director Bill Moos’ sudden departure (to Nebraska), Schulz offered this assessment of the networks:

“The original projections made way before I was here was that there was going to be substantial revenue coming in to the different members of the Pac-12,” Schulz said, per the Seattle Times.

“While we have exceeded some lower level expectations, I think the Pac-12 Network is still not providing the sort of dollars the other schools in the SEC and Big Ten get from their conference networks.”

That’s spot on: The Pac-12 Networks churned out approximately $2.5 million per school in FY17, according to documents obtained by the Hotline.

By comparison, the Big Ten and SEC networks are sending three and four times that amount to their members. For more Pac-12 coverage

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The larger revenue picture is also stark. The SEC and Big Ten have lapped the Pac-12 in overall annual distributions, which include all media rights, plus postseason football and NCAA tournament dollars.

Hotline projections for FY18 distributions:

Big Ten: $51.1 million

SEC: $45+ million

Pac-12: $32.5 million

That’s a $19 million difference per school between the Big Ten and Pac-12. Tally it up over a five-year period, and each Big Ten athletic department has $95 million more to work with than its Pac-12 peer.

“This is a concern of the Pac-12 presidents and I can tell you it’s a large discussion point with meetings with the commissioner at every single meeting,” Schulz added.

“Because everybody needs these revenues to be competitive, not just within the Pac-12, but hey, the Pac-12 schools have got to be competitive with ACC, the SEC and the Big Ten and Big 12, and we’re falling behind.” Related Articles Pac-12 Networks: Assessing the short- and long-term options for the conference’s prized media company

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I read Schulz’s comments, twice.

“This is a concern of the Pac-12 presidents.”

“It’s a large discussion point with meetings with the commissioner.”

“We’re falling behind.”

As far as I know, sentiments of his nature have not been uttered by a Pac-12 president since the launch of the networks in 2012.

I checked with the Times’ Stefanie Loh, who reported Schulz’s comments, to get a sense for his tone. Loh responded that Schulz was speaking in a matter-of-fact manner.

Anything less — in other words: overt criticism — would have been stunning.

Let’s not jump to conclusions about the immediate future of the networks (sell equity!) or the commissioner.

He has the support of the presidents — in some case, undying support — and just signed a contract extension through 2021-22.

The future of the networks will play out over the next six years, as consumer behavior changes, technology evolves and the conference positions itself for the Tier 1 negotiations.

But Schulz’s comments are nonetheless significant for what they represent: A break from the eternally-rosy view of the networks expressed at the highest levels of power.

Schulz cannot be the only president who’s concerned. In fact, he made it clear he’s not. Get Pac-12 Conference news in your inbox with the Pac-12 Hotline newsletter Sign Up

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