Pac-12 Networks launches Wednesday at 6 p.m.

Pac-12 Networks, which the Pacific-12 Conference hopes will be a win-win for fans, athletes and athletic-department coffers, launches Wednesday at 6 p.m.

Conceived by commissioner Larry Scott as a way to help brand the conference and raise visibility and revenue, the networks will air many games previously not available on TV, and should enhance the profile of the Olympic sports that have a particularly strong reputation in the Pac-12.

The launch will open with a studio show where analysts discuss the Pac-12 football season, a session with some recent Olympic athletes from the conference, and an explanation of regional and national framework of the networks.

At 7 p.m., there will be a conference-wide football preview, leading to 30-minute team previews that start with a look at Oregon on Thursday night at 8.

Seven networks comprise the operation — six regional ones representing each geographic pair in the league, such as Washington and Washington State, and a national network that usually will be available on a sports tier.

The Pac-12 hasn't yet contracted with DirecTV or Dish Network.

Some of the outlets carrying the networks, with channels for the immediate area provided by spokesmen:

• Comcast: regional, Ch. 430 (standard definition) and Ch. 628 (high definition); national, Ch. 431.

• Wave Broadband: regional, Ch. 123 (standard) and Ch. 723 (HD); national, Ch. 124 (standard) and Ch. 724 (HD).

• Fios: regional, Ch. 80 (standard) and Ch. 580 (HD); national, Ch. 78 (standard) and Ch. 578 (HD).

Bud Withers: 206-464-8281 or bwithers@seattletimes.com

By Bud Withers Seattle Times staff reporter

By Bud Withers
Seattle Times staff reporter