A shake-up in one of the March Madness booths. Plus, an update on the Pac-12’s media rights negotiations; Apple reportedly has an opt-out clause in their MLS deal.
Reggie Miller out, Stan Van Gundy in for NCAA March Madness
Turner Sports NBA analyst Reggie Miller will be replaced on CBS/Turner Sports NCAA men’s basketball tournament coverage by Stan Van Gundy, per Andrew Marchand of the New York Post. According to the report, Miller chose to relinquish the role — marking the second time in three years that he has elected to skip the event. While no official announcement has been made, it is expected that Van Gundy will be a direct replacement for Miller, partnering with Kevin Harlan and Dan Bonner. (Marchand 3.6)
Pac-12 media rights update
Although the Pac-12 is considering multiple options in its media rights negotiations, a streaming-only deal with no linear TV partner is “not an option” for the conference, per ESPN reporter Pete Thamel. According to the report, the conference is likely to seek a short-term three-or four-year “tourniquet” deal that would allow members to quickly reassess their market position. The Pac-12 is reportedly considering adding San Diego State and SMU, while the Big 12 has reportedly made contact with current Pac-12 members Arizona, Arizona State, Utah, and Colorado to gauge their interest in leaving. (ESPN 3.6)
Apple has performance-related opt-out clause in MLS deal
According to The Athletic, Apple has an opt-out clause in its 10-year, $2.5 billion deal with MLS that gives the company the ability to terminate the agreement should MLS fail to hit a Season Pass subscriber count in a set timeframe. MLS commissioner Don Garber did not confirm or deny this report in his interview with The Athletic, but did reiterate both sides’ commitment to the partnership. Apple is two weeks into its MLS deal. [Related: A review of Apple’s first week.] (The Athletic 3.4)
