Larry Scott: Pac-12 fans should drop DirecTV

CULVER CITY — Any Pac-12 fans that still have DirecTV should mark the date their contract expires.

Commissioner Larry Scott said at Friday’s Pac-12 Media Day that negotiations for the satellite provider to carry the Pac-12 Network are still at the same “impasse” that existed last year. He made it clear that the conference will not be able to reach an agreement with DirecTV for the upcoming football season, and said he wanted to say so now to allow fans an opportunity to switch.

“I urge our fans that are intent on not missing their team’s games this fall to drop DirecTV and switch to one of the many providers that have it,” Scott said. “All of our coaches and athletic directors that previously had DirecTV have now switched to a provider that has it and they are urging their fans to do the same.”

» After expressing his discontent with DirecTV, Scott moved on to the NCAA. Although he spoke of “evolution” rather than a “radical overhaul” of the organization, he had more pointed criticism than what other conference commissioners have offered in the past.

“It’s fair to say confidence in the enforcement process is at an all‑time low,” he said. “The fairness, speed, consistency and thoroughness of NCAA investigations must be reviewed as well as the impact these investigations and decisions have on our universities as a whole.”

» Scott also took time to lambast the one-and-done trend in college basketball, a surprise for a football media day: “This trend threatens our credibility and the goal of balancing academics and athletics. It’s time to reconsider a system that currently allows student‑athletes to be on our campuses for less than 12 months.”