Pac-12 announces 2017-18 financial results

 

 

 

SAN FRANCISCO – May 20, 2019 – The Pac-12 Conference today reported the financial performance for the financial year 2017-2018, highlighted by total revenues of $497M and distributions at $354M, representing an average of $29.5M per member university.  The year-on-year decrease in reported revenues and distributions is a result of the Rose Bowl and its associated revenue being part of the College Football Playoff in fiscal year 2017-2018. Actual cash distributions for fiscal year 2017-2018 were $376M as a result of cash received from the Rose Bowl during fiscal years 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 being reserved for future cash distributions when the Rose Bowl is part of the CFP.  Average cash distributions were $31.3M per member university, resulting in an increase of 5% year-on-year (see three year chart set forth below).  The equity value of the Pac-12’s full ownership of its Pac-12 Networks is not included in reported results.

 

For the five-year period since 2012-2013 when the Pac-12 began its media rights agreements with ESPN and Fox and launched the first and only member-owned conference network, annual member distributions have increased by 55% ($228M to $354M) and annual total revenues have increased by 49% ($334M to $497M).  The compounded annual growth rate for member distributions and total revenues over the five-year period was 9% and 8%, respectively.  The ESPN and Fox deals signed in 2012 resulted in more than four times the annual revenue of the prior Pac-12 media deals.

 

For the first time, in addition to reporting consolidated results and in order to provide enhanced clarity and transparency, the Pac-12 is providing a breakout of each of Conference and Networks performance (see chart set forth below).   For 2017-2018, the Pac-12 Conference reported revenues of $370M and net operating expenses of $40M.  For 2017-2018, the Pac-12 Networks reported revenues of $127M and net operating expenses of $101M.  Consolidated expenses for the Conference and Networks together increased by 1% year-on-year.  The Conference’s annual expenses place it in the middle of its Autonomy Five peer group in terms of level of annual operating expenses as reported in publicly available Form 990s.

 

“Supporting the academic and athletic missions of our member Universities, along with the health and well-being of our student-athletes, is our number one priority,” said Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott.  “We are pleased with our growth over the past several years, and are committed to maximizing value to serve this central purpose.  This includes through our media strategy under which we own and control our Pac-12 Networks and have aligned our ESPN and Fox deals with our Pac-12 Networks deals to be able to bring our full package of media rights to the market in 2024.”

 

“Our Pac-12 CEO Group remains confident in the future success and growth of the Conference, in part because of our media strategy and the value we believe this will deliver to our universities to support our educational mission, athletic goals and thousands of student-athletes,” said Philip DiStefano, Chair of the Pac-12 CEO Group and Chancellor of the University of Colorado, Boulder.  “We will be well-positioned for 2024.”

 

The Pac-12 Networks is the only conference network wholly-owned and controlled by its university members, providing an unprecedented platform to showcase the full breadth of Pac-12 sports to fans nationally across linear, digital and social platforms.  The ownership model, under which the universities retain full equity in the enterprise, also provides a platform for innovation and the flexibility to adapt to and achieve full value from a rapidly evolving media landscape.  Revenue and expenses, but not equity value, from the Pac-12 Networks are included in the Conference’s reported financial results.

 

 

 

Pac-12 Conference 990 Reporting by Entity 

(Source: Audited Financial Statements)

 

 

 

The Conference has a tradition as the “Conference of Champions,” leading the nation in NCAA Championships in 52 of the last 58 years, with 523 NCAA team titles overall. The Conference comprises 12 leading U.S. universities - the University of Arizona, Arizona State University, the University of California, Berkeley, the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), the University of Colorado, the University of Oregon, Oregon State University, Stanford University, the University of Southern California, the University of Utah, the University of Washington and Washington State University. For more information on the Conference’s programs, member institutions, and Commissioner Larry Scott, go to Pac-12.com/conference.