Pac-12 Networks expands with XFINITY, Dish & FS1 deal, DirecTV not happening

Obviously, the success of the SEC Network has not made the Pac-12 look too great in terms of what they've been able to accomplish on the distribution front. The SEC Network will reach over 90 million homes this year, and you can only expect that number to rise in the coming years. The Pac-12 Network is still hovering at 60 million and still has yet to really take off on a national scale.

A DirecTV deal would really stem the bleeding. But again, expect no deal in 2014. We'll get into the dynamics of why DirecTV and Pac-12 Networks haven't been able to make a deal in future posts, but for now the Pac-12 is taking the offensive regarding their feelings about DirecTV.

DIRECTV is treating you unfairly. More than 60 TV providers carry Pac-12 Networks, and we’ve offered DIRECTV the same fair deal. But DIRECTV continues to ignore their customers and Pac-12 fans. They said "yes" to the SEC Network, Big Ten Network, and dozens of other sports networks and "no" to Pac-12 Networks. They have offered up many excuses, but the reality is that they are depriving so many customers of great content.

It looks like 2014 will come and go without DirecTV and the Pac-12 Network coming to the table. It's unfortunate, but that's where we stand right now.

Thankfully, the conference will not take steps back. Dish has stepped up to distribute the Pac-12 Network, but they recently had a carriage dispute with a key provider of Pac-12 TV partner Fox Sports 1. It looks as if it's been resolved just in time for the season opener in Washington State vs. Rutgers.

An agreement has been reached between Fox Sports and Dish Network, removing a planned blackout of four college football games this weekend, including the Washington State-Rutgers game Thursday night at CenturyLink Field, a Pac-12 spokesman said Wednesday.

The sides had differed over a surcharge Fox sought to levy on some sports events, and which Dish had balked at picking up. Without an agreement, the blackout could have affected as many as 14 games involving Pac-12 teams on Fox Sports 1 this fall.

Also, XFINITY has gotten marginally better in terms of their ability to give customers the Pac-12 Networks via their mobile app, allowing them to view TV Everywhere. More from Pac-12.com.

You've been able to watch Pac-12 Networks on XfinityTV.com and the XFINITY TV Go App since we first hit the airwaves, but now there's another way to watch along wherever you are. Starting today, you can access Pac-12 Networks' 850 live game broadcasts, studio shows, The Drive, and much more on the Web, tablet, and iOS or Android devices via our Pac-12 Now app.