Seems weird that the University of California pension system would invest in this.
Pension funds and endowments are
always looking for something that is "safe" like a bond, but pays a little better than a bond, or has upside potential.
IDK the specifics of the transaction, or even if they have been published. I assume they are paying for a share of the future TV money.
Assume that they could buy USG 20 year bonds making 4%. Well, if they can buy a piece of the future B1G TV money and it shows a 5% return, and maybe upside if TV money increases, then it looks like a better investment than just plain old US Bonds. Heck, even if it is only 4%, but has some potential upside, and you can talk yourself into the risk (lower TV money in future) being not really a thing (and/or insure against it), then it still it a better investment. It's also diversification, in that it isn't tied to the bond markets at all. That's worth something in and of itself.
Now, for the B1G, the question is - is this the cheapest way to get money now? What if they just issued their own bonds, would the rate be lower? Can they even issue their own bonds? I could see where it could be a good deal for the B1G (the schools that need money right now), and I could see where it could be dumb JG Wentworth type thing. Just depends
entirely on the details.
UM and USC, principles aside, have endowments such that they must not need cash now (unlike Rutgers, Maryland, Iowa, et al), so they have no interest in borrowing against their future. Why would they?
Maybe UM and USC they should offer to buy 1/18th shares each of the same deal that UCI is getting. They get status quo money, and the others can borrow now vs the future TV money.