Andy Katz says BYU considering Independence

My guess is no announcement this week. even espn says this:



According to multiple sources, BYU would have to get a gauge from the BCS if it could get access similar to that of Notre Dame -- should it meet certain criteria -- and further explore the financial feasibility of such a move.



and



But if BYU can't be assured a seat at the BCS table, the Cougars won't make the move, leaving anxious schools in the WAC and the MWC still waiting to see what its fate may be in the coming months or year.



I am sure these two things have not happened yet. I think they are simply exploring the option. so espn is probably right, they are CONSIDERING going independent. there is no decision coming this week. i would be suprised if there was.

One real negative about going independent for those of us outside of Utah would be much WORSE TV coverage. Right now, even in Iowa, I can watch all of the BYU football games (in HD, now). Any BYU TV network would undoubtedly be available only in Utah, or maybe online for a fee.

The football angle is interesting assuming we get scheduling help from ESPN to land the big fish and the WAC for schedule filler. However, I am not excited at all to play basketball in the WAC. I would much prefer to play basketball in the WCC against Gonzaga and all the Jesuit schools.

MTM wrote:

If we were to go independent, i say dump the rivalry game with those homos up north.

Classy :roll:

So you're not homosapiens? :lol:

It is a much bigger risk. But there is potentially a much bigger reward.

IowaCougar wrote:
One real negative about going independent for those of us outside of Utah would be much WORSE TV coverage. Right now, even in Iowa, I can watch all of the BYU football games (in HD, now). Any BYU TV network would undoubtedly be available only in Utah, or maybe online for a fee.

Really, I figured they would find a way to get distributed on ESPN sometimes. Also right now BYUTV is on almost every provider. I think they could find a way to get some distribution. I am sure they are aware their fanbase is very distributed.

AmmonCougar1 wrote:

QuarterbackU wrote:

If we were to go independent, i say dump the rivalry game with those homos up north.

Classy :roll:

So you're not homosapiens? :lol:

Nice ;)

Qman wrote:
It is a much bigger risk. But there is potentially a much bigger reward.

Agreed. i wouldn't do it until hat risk was at least diminished meaning we have GOOD bowl tie ins at the very least.

IowaCougar wrote:
One real negative about going independent for those of us outside of Utah would be much WORSE TV coverage. Right now, even in Iowa, I can watch all of the BYU football games (in HD, now). Any BYU TV network would undoubtedly be available only in Utah, or maybe online for a fee.

I thought BYUTV was already much more accessible to people around the county than the Mtn.





As far as independance is concerned, I don't think the church would do it if they weren't positive that it would work. I also think that the worse case scenario we are only able to get maybe 2 interesting games a year and then a bunch of cupcakes from the WAC and Sun Belt etc. looking for some exposure, and then we end up playing in some lower tier bowl game.



In other words, not a whole lot different from now, but it would be refreshing to play some new teams...I'm getting bored of Wyoming, SDSU, New Mexico....

I think BYU's doing this to pull a "Texas" - make the MWC believe we are ready to go indy, until they and the Mtn gives us what we want - a bigger slice of the revenue pie, a renegotiated Mtn contract, and maybe the rights to broadcast or own home games where ever and however we want.



The Mtn network is dead without BYU. The MWC will survive, but will NEVER get AQ status without BYU. And BYU knows this. So maybe now they are just throwing their weight around. BYU was always the biggest name in the MWC. Now, with :utard: gone, this is even more true. The Mtn would be highly motivated to renegotiate the TV contract with the threat of losing BYU hanging over their heads. And the MWC would be highly motivated to renegotiate revenue distribution too.



But BYU has to actually be ready to go indy in case the MWC doesn't cave to our demands.



Personally, I don't like the idea of going indy. But if they do, Holmoe needs to IMMEDIATELY set up a 20-year series with both Army and Navy, both games played late in the year when all 3 schools would have difficulty scheduling games.

tmoney35 wrote:

One real negative about going independent for those of us outside of Utah would be much WORSE TV coverage. Right now, even in Iowa, I can watch all of the BYU football games (in HD, now). Any BYU TV network would undoubtedly be available only in Utah, or maybe online for a fee.

I thought BYUTV was already much more accessible to people around the county than the Mtn.





As far as independance is concerned, I don't think the church would do it if they weren't positive that it would work. I also think that the worse case scenario we are only able to get maybe 2 interesting games a year and then a bunch of cupcakes from the WAC and Sun Belt etc. looking for some exposure, and then we end up playing in some lower tier bowl game.



In other words, not a whole lot different from now, but it would be refreshing to play some new teams...I'm getting bored of Wyoming, SDSU, New Mexico....

We are in agreement, sir.

Reports are the BYU would agree to 4-6 games in football v. WAC teams each year, and then have to add the rest themselves. Rumors are that ESPN would televise all homes games with this deal and all the WAC games home or away, and ESPN would also work to broker games for BYU to improve the profile of those televised games. Similar to the OU game last year. BYU-TV is not really even in the discussion much at this point, if ESPN takes all home games. Just rebroadcast rights. Plus, BYU goes to the WAC for all other sports. And I do not think BYU even considers this unless ESPN came to the table with $10M. WIth ESPN on our side as a business partner, this would be great. ESPN promotes and protects their own in a big way.

IowaCougar wrote:
One real negative about going independent for those of us outside of Utah would be much WORSE TV coverage. Right now, even in Iowa, I can watch all of the BYU football games (in HD, now). Any BYU TV network would undoubtedly be available only in Utah, or maybe online for a fee.

From what I have heard BYU TV is in as many homes as MTV. It is available on the basic packages for both satelite carriers. Also most cable networks carry it. It however, does not have an HD channel on satelite yet. The small cable networks in different parts of the country are probably the only ones that don't currently carry BYU TV. The biggest problem we would face is having people realize that there is a football game on BYU TV. Probably need to do a lot of advertising each week. I bet the majority of people who have satelite couldn't tell you what channel number BYU TV is. I can't...

this is all contingent on the BCS agreeing that while they exist, that the Cougs would get inclusion if they were in the top 8 of the BCS computers AND there is a plan in place (or agreements made) to ensure that we have a fair and equitable schedule:



ESPN drives the boat here' they pay for our rights and BYU streams all the rebroadcasts, games not picked up by ESPN, and gives us a "NFL network" of sorts to all things BYU.

Television and internet are coming closer and closer on a daily basis, and technology is making it happen. I already watch my sports and internet on the same 8' x 10' projection screen; it won't be long before I don't have to hook up a PC and cable box to the same projector. TV will be streamed from the internet as a mainstream method of television.



BYU has all the techonology available to make this move feasible. ESPN is now big enough to write a nice check to the Cougs and as an indy team, BYU doesn't have to worry about splitting the pie with the Wyomings or Utahs of the world. ESPN drives good competition our way every year and we lean on the WAC for the remainders.



Bottom line, BYU carries the revenue stream of the Mountain West. Utah doesn't sell out their stadium, TCU doesn't and Boise has a very very small TV market. They're not doing us any favors.



If BYU has broadcasting technology to make it happen (and it appears they do), then this is a no brainer til the Big 12 comes a calling. The revenue sports (hoops and football) already have so much talent in the pipeline, that the product on the field itself will do a ton of the advertising.

I love the idea of BYU building a broadcasting school of which has no equal west of Kansas City. It serves the purpose of the church, the sports programs, and increases the schools cache.



(just explain to me why we don't build a medical school; when BYU sends more students to other medical schools than any other school in the country)



btw - If ESPN embraces this move; I like our position better than Utahs. We drive the bus, get paid all we need to, and aren't beholden to the bigotry of the Pac-10; while Utah flounders in that conference. If ESPN is on board with this, I like it more and more every minute.

CougarClaw wrote:

on a side note, wouldn't keeping non-football sports in the MWC be a better option than the WAC? Has Hair said something that they wouldn't want us?

BYU Football Talk blog says the MWC has a clause that a school is all sports or none. i suppose they could change that rule, if they wanted...



http://byufootballtalk.blogspot.com/2010/08/how-byu-can-succeed-as-independent.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Florwood wrote:

on a side note, wouldn't keeping non-football sports in the MWC be a better option than the WAC? Has Hair said something that they wouldn't want us?

BYU Football Talk blog says the MWC has a clause that a school is all sports or none. i suppose they could change that rule, if they wanted...



http://byufootballtalk.blogspot.com/2010/08/how-byu-can-succeed-as-independent.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

What has the MWC done for us to make us believe that all sports but football are better off in the Mountain West? I've never gotten the impression that they have best intentions for us.



They placed the basketball tournies in vegas



They dictate to us when and where we play teams



They offer terrible coverage of our sports and NEVER give us credit for being the big man on campus.. (honestly in the MWC, we deserve a bit of the "Texas treatment"



I assure you that everyone that cares about money and exposure in the MWC is trembling in their boots right now, or they're very very naive.

The only problem I have with putting our other sports in the WAC is that Benson is a bigger buffoon than Hair. And not just a little bit, a lot bigger buffoon.

Florwood wrote:

on a side note, wouldn't keeping non-football sports in the MWC be a better option than the WAC? Has Hair said something that they wouldn't want us?

BYU Football Talk blog says the MWC has a clause that a school is all sports or none. i suppose they could change that rule, if they wanted...



http://byufootballtalk.blogspot.com/2010/08/how-byu-can-succeed-as-independent.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If you write the rules, you can change them. I would much rather have basketball in the MWC than the WAC where New Mexico, UNLV and SDSU are good teams.



Plus, you'd think the MWC would be highly motivated to at least keep BYU basketball if it lost BYU football.

hawkwing wrote:
The only problem I have with putting our other sports in the WAC is that Benson is a bigger buffoon than Hair. And not just a little bit, a lot bigger buffoon.

Benson has learned the hard way about BYU and revenue. I doubt he'll make the same mistakes twice. He's done pretty well for the WAC since we thought them left for dead. With BYU going indy in football, we carry a lot of the leverage and like many have said, you don't need a lot of help with basketball. Put the product on the court and if it delivers, it doesnt' matter what conference you're in. For the non-revenue sports, it's a wash, we lose nothing. We gain exposure on ESPN.



If this does happen, I only wish it had happened last year so that we could have gotten out of road games to Utah, Air Force, and TCU. I hate roadies when thats the biggest game of the year for the opposition. (I'll cut TCU a break, since they actually might be playing for more)



This comes down to the fact that new mexico, wyoming, sdsu, and unlv bring nothing to the table... at least nothing we can't replace.



If your concern is about basketball, then look no further than our ability to get back on ESPN and out of the Vegas invitational. That makes up for the strength of schedule we get from the UNLVs of the world. ESPN can leverage other teams and conference to schedule that strength right back in.



If ESPN is on board and willing to pay; this is all a no-brainer, particularly with BYU capable of broadcasting everything else.

craigoscarson wrote:
this is all contingent on the BCS agreeing that while they exist, that the Cougs would get inclusion if they were in the top 8 of the BCS computers AND there is a plan in place (or agreements made) to ensure that we have a fair and equitable schedule:



ESPN drives the boat here' they pay for our rights and BYU streams all the rebroadcasts, games not picked up by ESPN, and gives us a "NFL network" of sorts to all things BYU.

Television and internet are coming closer and closer on a daily basis, and technology is making it happen. I already watch my sports and internet on the same 8' x 10' projection screen; it won't be long before I don't have to hook up a PC and cable box to the same projector. TV will be streamed from the internet as a mainstream method of television.



BYU has all the techonology available to make this move feasible. ESPN is now big enough to write a nice check to the Cougs and as an indy team, BYU doesn't have to worry about splitting the pie with the Wyomings or Utahs of the world. ESPN drives good competition our way every year and we lean on the WAC for the remainders.



Bottom line, BYU carries the revenue stream of the Mountain West. Utah doesn't sell out their stadium, TCU doesn't and Boise has a very very small TV market. They're not doing us any favors.



If BYU has broadcasting technology to make it happen (and it appears they do), then this is a no brainer til the Big 12 comes a calling. The revenue sports (hoops and football) already have so much talent in the pipeline, that the product on the field itself will do a ton of the advertising.

I love the idea of BYU building a broadcasting school of which has no equal west of Kansas City. It serves the purpose of the church, the sports programs, and increases the schools cache.



(just explain to me why we don't build a medical school; when BYU sends more students to other medical schools than any other school in the country)



btw - If ESPN embraces this move; I like our position better than Utahs. We drive the bus, get paid all we need to, and aren't beholden to the bigotry of the Pac-10; while Utah flounders in that conference. If ESPN is on board with this, I like it more and more every minute.

Your argument is in large part based upon espn making this deal. How confident are we that this would happen? If then, so we end up with lots more money, where do we play in a bowl game if we have a winning season? Most of the bowls just reupped their contracts. So we get more money, yeah, but what do we have to play for? on conference championship and now decent bowl game. What is there to get excited for besides beating up on wac teams?