Done deal: BYU to go independent in football

[accadacca]

Thoughts? How is this better then being with TCU and BSU. I guess they don't want to get owned by BSU every year?

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sltrib.com - Brigham Young University will leave the Mountain West Conference, go independent in football and rejoin the Western Athletic Conference in all non-football sports beginning in the fall of 2011, The Salt Lake Tribune confirmed Wednesday morning.

According to a source in the WAC office, BYU will seek final approval for the moves from its owner, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, either today or Thursday. Pending approval, a press conference is planned for early next week. But because of media reports that broke late Tuesday night, that timetable may change.

“In light of the media leaks, it may be expedited a bit,” the source told The Tribune.

BYU’s move to leave the MWC, become a football independent and rejoin the WAC — which it belonged to for nearly four decades before departing with Utah and six other schools to joint the Mountain West — has been in the works for the past month, according to the source.

BYU declined to confirm reports of the pending move. School officials are aware of “the ton of rumors flying around out there,” BYU associate athletic director Duff Tittle said Wednesday morning, but that doesn’t mean the reports have validity regarding the school’s future in the Mountain West Conference.

However, BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe, in a July meeting with reporters, acknowledged that BYU going independent was “an option” the school had been looking at the past six months, along with several other possibilities.

Why?

BYU has repeatedly expressed unhappiness with its paltry television revenue take from the Mountain West Conference. Member schools netted less than $2 million per team in football television money last year from the MWC’s television network.

The pressure on BYU increased when Utah accepted an invitation to join the Pac-10 last month, beginning next year. The Utes could make more than $15 million annually in football television revenue when it achieves full member status in that league.

Not only were the Cougars not invited to join the Pac-10; the Big 12 announced soon after that it had no plans to expand again after losing Nebraska to the Big Ten and Colorado to the Pac-10.

BYU already has its own television network in place and now has a broadcast center to go with it.

According to an espn.com report, the Cougars will play four WAC teams per year in football, presumably including Utah State. The school will also now be free to cut its own television deals with networks like ESPN, and perhaps agreements with bowl games. Football independence could also make it easier to schedule the yearly rivalry game with Utah, given BYU’s increased schedule flexibility.

The Cougars’ pending move could also put the Mountain West’s future in some doubt.

The loss of Utah and BYU, combined with the pending arrival of Boise State next year, leaves the MWC with eight teams. The espn.com report indicated that the Mountain West approached both Fresno State and Nevada about leaving the WAC and joining the MWC. But such a move could be tricky: the remaining WAC schools last week signed a five-year agreement that requires a $5 million buyout for any school seeking to leave the WAC during that span.

Potentially more troubling for the Mountain West: a change-of-mind by Boise State that could return the Broncos to the WAC. The WAC office source confirmed that scenario as a possibility. Boise State would face no penalty if it did wish to return, the source said.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/cougars...ntain.html.csp

[Scott Card]

Done Deal? I thought this was only in the rumor phase still. This would certainly be a big surprise. I am not sure how to think on this on.

[live2ride]

HMMMM! Getting interesting around here. Cant wait to see how this pans out.

[Iceaxe]

I don't see this as a "positive" move for the Cougars. I'm thinking the Coug's would be better served to sit tight for a year or two and see how things shake out in College Football .... here are a couple of my thoughts...

The MWC is in pretty good shape to receive an automatic BCS bid if things keep rolling....

I don't see the Big 12 standing pat and the Cougs would be a logical choice.

How is replacing four bottom tier MWC schools with 4 WAC schools an improvement in scheduling?

I don't see this independent move creating anymore excitement for me in the way of watching BYU football. I currently watch all their "big" games.... UTAH, TCU, Air Force, and the one or two big name programs they schedule each year. I was looking forward to watching Boise and BYU each year.

The only independent that is making big money in Notre Dame, and that program is a shadow of its former self and with the NCAA rules put down a few years ago I don't see it ever getting back to one of the elite 5 or 6 schools without joining a conference.

The one big positive is BYU would get their games off that crappy, looks like you are watching the game on a black and white TV in a snow storm television network.

I'm curious to hear what the true blue cougar fans think of the move.

[Kent K25]

I'm neutral on the move until it actually happens and actual details are given.

Anything to get their games off of the Mountain channel is a plus though.

[Iceaxe]

I was just talking with some Hawaii fans.... they are drooling over the thought of BYU's slow corners trying to defend their Run & Shoot offense.

If BYU wants to make use of their new high dollar HD broadcast capabilities it seems like they should cut a deal with the MTN to produce their own games.

It looks like this is a done deal.... only problem is the news leaked out before BYU was ready for an announcement.

This could be a disaster for the MWC.

And a little FYI... ESPN.com's Andy Katz says this deal hinges on BYU getting an access agreement from the BCS similar to Notre Dame's. Notre Dame gets automatic BCS access with a Top 8 ranking.

[DiscGo]

I once again agree with IceAxe. I am starting to question myself lately because of how frequently I find myself agreeing with Shane and finding him to be logical :)

[accadacca]

I see this as a lateral move at best and I am leaning on them staying in the MWC. I just don't see how this is a good move. There have certainly been some decent factors listed here, but they don't seem significant to me. Its all over the news...

IMO...they wont get BCS access.

[Iceaxe]

Here is the 2011 schedule they are talking about.... Notre Dame, Navy, Army and Utah..... this will be combined with 4 WAC schools, one of them being Utah State..... with 4 more schools to fill in the holes, two of which you know will be small schools looking for a pay day.....

How is this better then BYU's 2010 schedule that looks like this.... Washington, Air Force, Florida State, Nevada, Utah State, San Diego State, TCU, Wyoming, UNLV, Colorado State, New Mexico, Utah.....

They will also lose any automatic bowl ties and be hunting for an At Large bid every year.

I just get the feeling that BYU should stop the whining and put together a BCS Buster season and the rest of the issues will take care of themselves....

[Iceaxe]

I once again agree with IceAxe. I am starting to question myself lately because of how frequently I find myself agreeing with Shane and finding him to be logical :)

[Rau_Dawg33]

Im a huge BYU fan and I see this as a step up from the MWC.
As far as money is concerned, Their earning potential as an independent will be much greater than the measly 2 million they are currently making.
Also The Mountain just plain sucks. Its been around for four years and never made a profit. This way BYU can put on their their own HD network or work a deal with someone else.
Either way it means more money which leads better recruiting and better football. Can't wait to see this one play out.

I wish september was here already. I need me some football.

[Scott Card]

SOMETHING IS A BREWIN'

MWC just announced invites to Nevada and Fresno.

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=498

[accadacca]

[Scott Card]

SOMETHING IS A BREWIN'

MWC just announced invites to Nevada and Fresno.

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=498

Apparentyl they (Nevada and Fresno) have declined.

[trackrunner]

Apparentyl they (Nevada and Fresno) have declined.

You left out why. with the WAC concerned more teams my leave and trying to make itself look attractive for the BYU move courtship they forced member schools to sign $5million buy out agreements if a school left within X years (5 I think).
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5474774

I too agree with both of iceaxe's posts

someone needs to talk them off the ledge. everything is going to be alright. many analyst think the big conferences still haven't settled yet and there may be more adjusting in the coming years.

[Iceaxe]

Apparentyl they (Nevada and Fresno) have declined.

I don't think so..... the official Nevada school website says they will accept..... and FYI... Nevada refused to sign the 5 million buy-out agreement that the WAC sent to their schools. Nevada can move next year with Boise State.

Nevada and Fresno are gone from the WAC.

[Iceaxe]

BYU has just totally screwed all their other sports!

BYU plans to play everything but football in the WAC.... but the WAC now consists of a bunch of schools that are barely a step above high school. I hope BYU's other teams enjoy playing in empty high school gyms.

I just don't see BYU as the national draw that Notre Dame is. Just how big of a TV deal does BYU think they will get from ESPN? I think BYU just shot themselves in the foot. To me BYU is more of a SMU or TCU...

[trackrunner]

I don't think so..... the official Nevada school website says they will accept

I get to use this gif againts myself



where are you seeing it. here is what I found off their website
http://www.nevadawolfpack.com/ViewAr...CLID=204979537

RENO, Nev. - Regarding the announcement issued this afternoon by the Mountain West Conference, University of Nevada, Reno President Milt Glick offers this statement:

"We are honored to have received the invitation to join the Mountain West Conference. We are seriously considering the invitation, and do so with the best interests of our athletics program, University, community and Wolf Pack fans as our priority."

[Iceaxe]

Fresno St. accepts MWC invitation; Nevada mulling offer

For a minute there, it appeared the Mountain West Conference might be on its death bed.
Not anymore.

Hours after news broke that the Brigham Young Cougars were joining the Utah Utes in abandoning the league they helped create a decade ago, the Mountain West moved swiftly Wednesday to assure its survival by inviting Fresno State and Nevada to join from the Western Athletic Conference.

Fresno State will accept, according to the Fresno Bee, suggesting that Nevada will, as well — though the university president so far has said only that the school is considering the invitation.

While Fresno State will have to pay a $5 million buyout to the WAC if it leaves, under the teams of a deal reached after Boise State announced its plans to depart for the Mountain West next year, the Reno Gazette-Journal is reporting that Nevada never signed the agreement, leaving it free to leave without penalty.

The rest is here: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/cougars...eague.html.csp

[accadacca]

I don't see why these two schools wouldn't accept. No brainer if you ask me. I also don't think the MWC would make it public unless they knew the offers were going to be accepted.

BYU might have to walk back to the MWC with their tail between their legs.