Pacific Time has been a problem for the Pac-12 since time immemorial, but the challenge becomes more daunting each season with the current television contracts, sports media cycles and consumer behavior.
Combine all the night football games on ESPN/ESPN2 and FS1 with all the broadcasts on the limited-reach Pac-12 Networks, and too much of the conference’s premium product — its greatest marketing tool — is seen by too few fans too often.
Certainly, more wins would enhance exposure.
“You want a primetime window on Saturday, it takes Washington beating Auburn,” said ESPN analyst Rod Gilmore, who played for Stanford and lives in the Bay Area.