Pac-12 will reportedly announce The CW extension as part of new media rights deal

The next iteration of the Pac-12 is still a year away from taking effect, but the conference’s new media rights deal is already taking shape.

According to John Canzano, the Pac-12 is set to announce a new five-year deal with The CW, which will air conference games from 2026-2031. The news comes two months after the league first announced that CBS will be its primary rights partner beginning next year.

Per Canzano, the details of the new deal with The CW are expected to be announced as early as this week. The agreement effectively marks an extension of The CW’s current partnership with the Pac-12, which first began in 2024.

But while the league has only laid claim to two teams — Washington State and Oregon State — since its mass exodus of schools following the 2023 season, the 2026 campaign will see the Pac-12 enjoy some expansion of its own. Growing to eight teams, the conference will add Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Texas State and Utah State, as well as Gonzaga as a non-football member.

As for the 2025 season, The CW is currently slated to air 11 of Washington State and Oregon State’s 13 home games. While it’s unclear what the Nexstar Media Group property’s new rights package will look like, Canzano reports that it will include “additional components” beyond its current setup.

It also doesn’t sound like Pac-12 is done negotiating just yet. According to Canzano, the conference plans to add at least one and possibly two more partners before finalizing the totality of its next media rights package.

Canzano has previously reported that Warner Bros. Discovery has at least “kicked the tires” on adding Pac-12 football and basketball. Meanwhile, ESPN, Fox and Apple have previously been linked to the league’s ongoing talks, although the former two seem less likely after CBS solidified its status as the conference’s primary partner.