With ESPN, FOX Sports and Pac-12 Networks, Pac-12 to provide fans with more access and entertainment than ever before through behind-the-scenes and in-game insights directly from football head coaches and student-athletes

SAN FRANCISCO – In an effort to deliver fans unprecedented access and enhanced entertainment within broadcasts, the Pac-12 Board of Directors has approved a series of football broadcast initiatives that will bring fans closer to head football coaches and student-athletes than ever before.  The access initiatives, developed alongside ESPN and FOX Sports and supported by Pac-12 football head coaches during the Conference’s recent Spring Council meetings, follow a history of production innovation through the Conference’s own Pac-12 Networks telecasts.

The in-game and pre-game football access initiatives approved by the Pac-12 Board and to be implemented throughout Pac-12 football broadcasts on ESPN, FOX Sports and Pac-12 Networks broadcasts include:

• In-game head coach interviews.
• Pre-game and halftime locker room camera access.
• Coaches and select student-athletes wired on-field pre-game.
• Cameras in the coaches’ booth without sound.
• Extended handheld camera permission.

The Pac-12 will also continue to work with the NCAA to explore additional opportunities to provide access during football games.

“The Pac-12 is committed to delivering unprecedented access and entertainment to our fans throughout our football broadcasts, and to working with our media partners to be on the cutting edge of innovation,” said Pac-12 Executive Associate Commissioner of Football Operations Merton Hanks.  “We look forward to delivering the best possible broadcasts that give fans the insights and access that makes watching Pac-12 football even more enjoyable.”

"ESPN is constantly exploring creative ways to entertain, engage and inform our viewers, and the access provided by the Pac-12 is a fantastic opportunity to do just that," said ESPN Senior Vice President, Production, Lee Fitting. "Delivering success with these types of innovations on other properties across ESPN platforms, we're excited to enhance our college football productions and truly appreciate our partners at the Pac-12 for taking this step."

“FOX Sports has always been committed to innovative broadcasts. Our goal is to bring the at-home audience as close as possible to the players, the game and the action across all our properties,” said Judy Boyd, Senior Vice President, FOX Sports Productions. “We are consistently working to do so and we feel that our college football partners have opened up some great opportunities for this upcoming season.”

During the 2022 season, Pac-12 Networks football broadcasts featured unprecedented access with head coaches Dan Lanning, Jedd Fisch and Justin Wilcox providing mic'd-up content for non-live use, in addition to other enhanced entertainment offerings such as in-game features with the Mighty Utah Student-Section (MUSS) and the parents of Utah's Dalton Kincaid, Vicki & Clark Kincaid.

The 2023 Pac-12 football season kicks off in Week Zero with San Jose State at USC on Saturday, August 26 and the full-slate for the Pac-12 begins the following week.  Prior to the season's kickoff, the Pac-12 will hold its 2023 Pac-12 Football Media Day on Friday, July 21, to be held in Las Vegas for the first time.