The Pac-12 Network is going to be a big new player in college sports, as it'll host all the remaining college football and college basketball contests for the conference teams as well as various other Olympic sports.
Where will this network be housed? Why, right in good old San Francisco.
The conference have their current headquarters in Walnut Creek, and they wanted to make sure they don't want to move too far away from their power base in the Bay Area. If they want to be at the cutting edge of college sports, San Francisco seems like the perfect place for them to start up.
Today, the Pac-12 broke ground on their new network, which is ready to be set up in the next few weeks. After the jump, read more of the press release that talks about how their new headquarters.
“This represents another groundbreaking moment for a Conference that
is steeped in tradition and history and has enjoyed more success than
any collegiate conference in the country,” Pac-12 Commissioner Larry
Scott said. “There may be concrete at our feet, but the foundation for
the Pac-12 Studios is being built on the success and excellence of our
programs and our dynamic student-athletes. We love the vibrancy of
being in San Francisco and believe it will be very conducive to the
environment we envision. It’s very exciting.”
“San Francisco is a perfect intersection of sports, entertainment and
technology, and I am thrilled by the Pac-12 decision to base their
operations here, demonstrating once again that San Francisco is
attracting an incredible mix of talent and industry from across the
nation,” San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee said. “Pac-12 Enterprises
will not only have access to the best and brightest creative talent
for their staff here but they will also tap into the City’s innovative
culture and entrepreneurial spirit as they grow their media company
and innovate their business model.”
Pac-12 Enterprises signed an 11-year, multi-floor lease with Kilroy
Realty Corporation (NYSE:KRC) that provides plenty of flexibility for
expansion as the company grows. It will initially utilize 70,000
square feet for its office space and to create a state-of-the-art
facility for the Pac-12 Networks, which will produce original studio
programming and televise more than 850 live sporting events annually,
including every Conference football game and men’s basketball game
that isn’t carried by its national telecast partners ESPN and FOX as
well as providing unprecedented exposure for women’s sports and
Olympic sports, where the Pac-12 has had more success than any other
Conference in the country. The Pac-12 Networks are scheduled to launch
in August 2012.
To talk about the Pac-12, head on over to Pacific Takes.