SpiffCoug wrote:
Let's say the 4 Super Conferences are the new PAC16, SEC16, B1G-16 & ACC16. The leftovers of the Big12 and Big East form a new conference that also has BYU, Boise, & TCU. Would that be a better situation for BYU than independence or having remained in the MWC? Would that be a better situation than BYU was in two years ago or this year?
I see your point.
I guess this all depends on what happens if/when super conferences come to pass. It is my belief that anybody not playing in one of the 4 super conferences might as well be playing FCS ball. Super conferences are merely the next step to concentrate more money, power, etc. in the hands of the member schools. Schools have been marching towards this since the 80's. BYU was even a vocal leader at one point back then. The big schools got the NCAA out of CFB (which was a fine idea considering how the NCAA treated CFB at the time imho.) That was the first step and ever since, they've been on a path trying to increase revenue and lock the little guys out. Super conferences are just the next step to accomplish that task.
What does "locking the little guys out" mean? I'm not quite sure. NCAA decertification etc.? That is for another post. But I think the point is, if BYU doesn't get into a super conference, they will be locked out and in terms of relevance, might as well be playing FCS ball.
So what good does getting in bed with a bunch of also-rans do for us? I think I'd rather take my chances being independent and scheduling as many big name schools as I could, all in an effort to build relationships with them while making myself as attractive as possible to one of the super conferences by making deals with ESPN, pimping my own TV network that puts my games on TV's across the country/world, increasing my branding etc.
5 to 10 years down the road, if super conferences are established and BYU has been left out in the cold, then I might think about joining a conference like the one posted in this thread.