TEMPE, AZ – OCTOBER 19: The “Pac 12” logo is displayed on the filed during the college football game between the Washington Huskies and the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium on October 19, 2013 in Tempe, Arizona. The Sun Devils defeated the Huskies 53-24. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

When we last updated the situation between DirecTV and Pac-12 Network, it appeared the two sides were getting closer to an agreement. After a signal test last month on Channel 612, subscribers got excited hoping that they would see Pac-12 Network and its accompanying regional channels before the college football season. But as we’re in Week 2 of the season, Pac-12 Network is still not online with DirecTV and subscribers are getting antsy.

So what’s going on? Why has DirecTV not picked up Pac-12 Network? According to the San Jose Mercury News, DirecTV’s owner, AT&T is negotiating to potentially expand its partnership with the Pac-12 ether through getting an equity stake in the network or through more sponsorship exposure on the member schools’ campuses.

Just how much would AT&T would get in the Pac-12 Networks? The Mercury News says it would be more than just five percent. And that would influence the Pac-12’s deals with other cable providers and could possibly lower its fees to existing partners such as Comcast and Dish. Larger cable and satellite providers usually negotiate fees that are for the most part beneficial to them and a change in structure at Pac-12 Networks would cause its partners to renegotiate their deals.

But in the meantime, AT&T which carries Pac-12 Network on its U-Verse service is trying to complete the deal for DirecTV. Even as the season has started, both DirecTV and the Pac-12 remain optimistic a deal can be done.

This is certainly different when it appeared that the satellite provider was digging in for a protracted fight to keep Pac-12 Network off its systems. Now that the rhetoric is over, it’s not a question on if Pac-12 Network will begin airing on DirecTV, but when and that is much more positive than the last three seasons which has left subscribers in the middle and much in the dark.

[San Jose Mercury News]

About Ken Fang

Ken has been covering the sports media in earnest at his own site, Fang's Bites since May 2007 and at Awful Announcing since March 2013.

He provides a unique perspective having been an award-winning radio news reporter in Providence and having worked in local television.

Fang celebrates the four Boston Red Sox World Championships in the 21st Century, but continues to be a long-suffering Cleveland Browns fan.

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