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Pac-12 Network Lands Distribution Deal With NCTC, Smaller Cable Carriers

Some good news surfaced late Friday that might be potentially good news for those with satellite dishes and teleco cable companies. The Pac-12 Network will now be distributed via the National Cable Television Cooperative (NCTC), which goes out to a host of local, smaller cable companies that provide alternatives to the regular cable and satellite options. NCTC's site is vague on its membership, but Jon Wilner points out a host of local West Coast cable services that provide it.

It's a good sign that the conference can make a deal with the smaller markets, because that'll put more pressure on the big guns to start coming to the table and make a deal. The more viewership there is from alternative sources, the pressure will be put on satellite and teleco companies to provide the channel too or risk losing subscriptions in their areas. Solid economic maneuvering by the Pac-12 if that's indeed what they had in mind.


It'd be good news if the conference was able to land more deals with smaller market share until the big fish step up to the table and get in on the action.

After the jump, press release time!

Pac-12 Enterprises, the content and multiplatform media company for the Pac-12 Conference, and the National Cable Television Cooperative (NCTC) have reached a long-term agreement for carriage of the Pac-12 Networks, it was announced today. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.


The Pac-12 Networks, which consist of one national and six regional networks, will be available to NCTC participating members starting August 15, when the new networks launch. The native HD Pac-12 Networks are scheduled to televise 850 live sporting events annually, including 35 football, and more than 120 men’s basketball games in the first year, as well as a variety of in-studio shows, special features, commentary and On Demand content on the Pac-12’s championship teams and student-athletes.

"Pac-12 institutions are home to a nation-leading 451 NCAA championships and it is extremely important for us to be able to share the tradition and excellence of the Pac-12 to a much wider audience," said Gary Stevenson, President of Pac-12 Enterprises. "Through our partnership with NCTC, we now have the opportunity to bring the Pac-12 Networks and all of our great content to more fans and alumni across the country. This is a milestone moment and we’re very excited about it."


Additionally, NCTC members will have access to all of the Pac-12 Networks live programming through TV Everywhere on the NCTC WTVE platform and other industry platforms by authenticating their service on various connected devices.

"NCTC is pleased to offer our members this agreement with the Pac-12 Networks. We’re confident that members will be excited to offer their customers the high-quality events and programming featuring the great Pac-12 teams and dedicated student-athletes that are at the heart of collegiate sports," said Rich Fickle, NCTC President and CEO.

The NCTC counts more than 900 cable operators in the United States as members and serves millions of cable subscribers across the U.S. These operators and other NCTC members will be able to carry Pac-12 Networks and its six regional channels.

The Pac-12 Networks programming will be anchored by a dynamic group of on-air personalities, including Pro Football Hall of Famer and former USC Trojan Ronnie Lott, Olympic gold medalist and former Stanford Cardinal swimming standout Summer Sanders and former UCLA quarterback and head football coach Rick Neuheisel.

NCTC is one of the first companies to sign with Pac-12 Enterprises, joining Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications and Bright House Networks as Pac-12 Networks distribution partners.