Sources say BYU going Independent (done deal), could affect BE

[IncrediBULL]

wont happen.  THey want a notre dame like deal, and there is no way they can generate that kind of attention nationally.  They want NCAA assurances.

Never gonna happen.

No, they'll never get the same stipulations as ND in writing, but I imagine that for all intent and purpose if they finished in the top 10, they'd be in a BCS game regardless.

I couldn't see the BCS having a problem with something similar. they have 10 slots now. BYU has a huge following. Hell Hawaii was in a BCS bowl recently.

The national press was beating it up on air today.  The problem is that ND can have good years, and bad years, and are still thought of in high regard on a national scene.  They are a national brand, kind of like the Yankees are.   That is teh only reason they can do what they do.

BYU does not, nor will they ever, have that level of prestige or brand recognition. They will not get the same coverage by the national press, nor the polls, nor the NCAA that ND gets.   

The general opinion is that they will not go independent as they won't get the assurances they need.  IF they go independent, who wants to play them?  If they don't end up with a decent SOS because they don't have a conf affiliation, then not likely that they can play for an NC.

You don't need to play for a NC to make money.

You are right.  But since they won't get conference money, how will they get their money.  They don't appeal to a national audience, so a national tv contract is out of the question.  They would be stuck with a Utah marketplace, and an occasional ESPNU or EPSN2 game unless they were playing a more recognizable team.  No conf, no conference sharing.  Most bowls are tied to a conference affiliation, so that will be tough findng one whey can get into to get that pay day.  If they are a decent team each year, think top 20, no one is going to want to sign a 1:1 deal, which means they will get paid to go somewhere to play as OOC, but won't get the return home game which is where they can sell tickets and make money on home games.  BTW, nothing stopping them from doing OOC games today and making money on them.  And they will eat up those profits with travel expenses to be an OOC opponent.  Not really sure how going independent helps them. 

I think it is either a threat to their conference, or a ploy to get someone to add them out of band to their conference.  For the life of me, I don't see how going Indie makes them more money.

[Skingraft]

Good for them....

[cygnus34]

Looks like things are moving fast;

http://www.fresnobee.com/2010/08/18/2045731/fresno-state-to-join-mwc.html

[Cow Pie]

Okay here is my speculation on this deal...

I think that the Mountain West will raid CUSA to fill the gap... then CUSA will raid the Sunbelt... if we were smart we would snatch up a 9th all sports team like Memphis and kick DePaul or Marquette to the curb.

My rational is this... sooner or later Syracuse and LV are going to get better and we are going to need another whipping boy... I think Memphis would make a good whipping boy.

Also we could rotate them into our Homecoming lineup... I'm getting tired of mostly playing Syracuse or LV.

[macphisto]

TCU and Houston, then possibly cut loose the other BE schools for all other sports and create a new BCS conference?  At that point we might as well create a broad national conference and add Boise St. into the mix.  With our current schools plus Boise St. and TCU we would have an easy argument to remain in the BCS.

I really don't know what else to do there.  Just adding TCU for all sports would be a great move IF the other BE schools agree. 

[cygnus34]

FURTHER UPDATE, this is likely to gon for awhile.

http://www.mwcconnection.com/2010/8/18/1629629/official-reaction-to-byu-going

[Bull94]

wont happen.  THey want a notre dame like deal, and there is no way they can generate that kind of attention nationally.  They want NCAA assurances.

Never gonna happen.

No, they'll never get the same stipulations as ND in writing, but I imagine that for all intent and purpose if they finished in the top 10, they'd be in a BCS game regardless.

I couldn't see the BCS having a problem with something similar. they have 10 slots now. BYU has a huge following. Hell Hawaii was in a BCS bowl recently.

The national press was beating it up on air today.  The problem is that ND can have good years, and bad years, and are still thought of in high regard on a national scene.  They are a national brand, kind of like the Yankees are.   That is teh only reason they can do what they do.

BYU does not, nor will they ever, have that level of prestige or brand recognition. They will not get the same coverage by the national press, nor the polls, nor the NCAA that ND gets.   

The general opinion is that they will not go independent as they won't get the assurances they need.  IF they go independent, who wants to play them?  If they don't end up with a decent SOS because they don't have a conf affiliation, then not likely that they can play for an NC.

You don't need to play for a NC to make money.

You are right.  But since they won't get conference money, how will they get their money.  They don't appeal to a national audience, so a national tv contract is out of the question.  They would be stuck with a Utah marketplace, and an occasional ESPNU or EPSN2 game unless they were playing a more recognizable team.  No conf, no conference sharing.  Most bowls are tied to a conference affiliation, so that will be tough findng one whey can get into to get that pay day.  If they are a decent team each year, think top 20, no one is going to want to sign a 1:1 deal, which means they will get paid to go somewhere to play as OOC, but won't get the return home game which is where they can sell tickets and make money on home games.  BTW, nothing stopping them from doing OOC games today and making money on them.  And they will eat up those profits with travel expenses to be an OOC opponent.  Not really sure how going independent helps them. 

I think it is either a threat to their conference, or a ploy to get someone to add them out of band to their conference.  For the life of me, I don't see how going Indie makes them more money.

they have their own network. trust me, espn would put BYU on over USF or many other BE teams. they would easily make up the $2M shortfall. They have a big following and bowls would love them. They sign 1 for 1 deals with FSU, OU, washington, ucla, bc, etc. any pac 10 team would sign a 1 for 1 in a heartbeat. they travel 15-20k to away games in the west. there is no reason why they won't continue to fill their schedule with good opponents.

BTW Utah, their biggest rival, will not play them now that they are moving into the pac 10. If BYU went independent then there is a good chance they would continue to play them but they don't want to risk playing a MWC team.

I don't think this is about money. They want to play with the big boys. the only way to do it is to go independent.

[Capone24]

Being a Catholic I know Mormonism is different than Evangelicalism but if they both combined forces I would be very scared.

JESUS CAMP= Kids loving BYU Football!= More christian rock!(I thought country was bad!)=bunch of brainwashed kids=the people who will be taking care of us in the future(By the way what is the deal with all the BIG Samoans being Mormon)=people who think they speak in BS tongues!=BYU A LOT OF MONEY

Jesus Camp=People trying to take over the world through brainwashing kids!

P.S. this was all in good fun and GOD would be very upset if you were upset at my remarks! But from a business perspective I would say your ahead of the curve!

[Who'sYourData?]

If BYU stays in the conference for other sports, would we possibly be able to add TCU as a football only school? 

[South_Florida_Flip]

they get 8 games against anybody in the country now instead of being forced to play 8 games against crappy conference opponents.

they are no longer forced to play wyoming, new mexico, san diego state, unlv, colorado state.

those 5 alone are just as bad as any wac team and they have to play all 5 every year.

I wish we would do it. I'm tired of playing in the BE. Finances aside, if I knew we would schedule good competition(not necessarily a given considering Woolard's penchant for cupcakes), Id love it. load up with new top 10, top 25, top 40 programs every year instead of the same old boring conference mates.

You're seriously trying to say that the Mountain West is worse than playing 4 WAC teams? TCU, Utah (before they leave for the PAC 12) and adding the best WAC team in Boise State next season is better than anything BYU is going to get as an independent.

You offer up Wyoming, New Mexico, Sand Diego State, UNLV, and Colorado State when BYU could be playing any of these 4 teams in WAC; Louisiana Tech, Idaho, New Mexico State, San Jose State and Utah State.

By the way, the only 2 decent WAC teams left after Boise State are Nevada and Fresno State, and they are joining the Mountain West as well.

USF trying to go independent would be the worst thing possible for the program.