The Pac-10’s head honcho, Larry Scott, has big plans for the conference as it expands from ten teams to 12 teams.
One of the commissioner’s main goals is to increase the Pac-10’s exposure and marketing around the country. In an era where not only conferences but some individual teams are competing for their own television networks, the bar for gaining exposure is set high.
The dominant conferences that rake in the most money from television deals and merchandise sold are the SEC and the Big Ten Conference. For example, the SEC signed a $2.25 billion contract with ESPN for broadcast rights for football games from 2009 to 2025 while the Big Ten has its own television network that reaches 40 million households.
Scott is no stranger to increasing the profile of organizations. During his last job as CEO for the Women’s Tennis Association, Scott landed the largest contract in the history of the sport. He also brought about an $88 million contract with Sony Erickson which helped increase the revenue for sponsorships by 250 percent.
Perhaps his biggest achievement to the sport was to increase the prize money for women tennis players so that it is equal to that of men tennis players in all Grand Slam events.
Scott hopes to bring changes like these to the Pac-10.
Increased exposure can already be witnessed with the Pac-10’s men’s basketball television schedule this season. Last year the Pac-10 played two Sunday night games. This year they have seven. The reasoning behind this scheduling change is that Sunday rakes in a significantly higher audience than other week nights.
According to Jeremy Langer, a vice president of Fox Sports Networks, Fox’s Sunday basketball games bring in 28 percent more viewers than non-Sunday games.
A larger audience is key to Scott’s promotional strategies for the Pac-10.
As for football, the additions of Utah and Colorado- the first changes in the Pac-10 in 32 years- might be just what Scott’s conference needs to become rivals with the Big 10 and SEC.
Scott’s ambitions don’t just include increasing attention toward the Pac-10 on a national level but on an international also. There are currently marketing efforts being performed in Asia.
To accomplish this increased exposure Scott told Sports Illustrated, “We have to look at ourselves as content owners and brand stewards and promoters. We've got very valuable assets we're responsible for leveraging for the benefit of the schools, and there is a lot at stake."
He echoed the similar sentiment when I had the opportunity to see him speak in front of WSU donors before the WSU, Oregon football game last November. He also presented a new marketing video that promoted the Pac-10 as “the conference of champions.”
A new logo was also branded for the Pac-10 last summer- further evidence of Scott’s quest to increase exposure.
While all these marketing ploys can be beneficial to the Pac-10 as they compete for recognition against other renowned conferences, the key to increased exposure may just be greater success in sports.
Compiled By: Andrew Talevich
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