BYU to Stay, UH to MWC?

[SMU89]

Joining the MWC also means walking away from any relationship with ESPN and hooking our wagon to CBSC and Comcast. I still think BYU is out the door, but to keep them, the MWC will have to invite USU. If that happens, TCU will be livid unless two concessions are made to them. (1) That they are in a division with BYU and/or AFA for attendance reasons. (2) That they not be shown on the BYU tv network (I think the Church of Christ folks would have a problem with that one). With the pie shrinking, they're not going to take losing BYU and AFA from their schedule 2 out of four years. If that is not agreed to then they'll bolt.

I hardly think joining th MWC means walking away from any relationship with ESPN. The Frogs had Gameday at TCU last year, and ESPN brokered the deal that brought an 'away' game to JerryWorld next week v Oregon State. If you are a commodity, they will work with you.

If Jerry can make money by having a game in his stadium and by moving you around you get to play a lesser opponent with the clear goal of all the maneuvering to get SMU on ESPN ....see from DMN.....Brown is with ESPN.....

TCU's original 2010 schedule had the Frogs opening at home that day against Baylor. The second game had them visiting SMU, with their third game at Texas Tech.

Then Brown got into the act. At the suggestion of Jerry Jones, he investigated the possibility of moving the TCU opener a few miles east. TCU, which is contractually bound to Versus and CBS College during the Mountain West season, was giddy at the thought of opening its season on ESPN.

Next up, Brown approached always gritty and willing to travel Oregon State about dumping its game against Eastern Washington in favor of a trip to Cowboys Stadium and a prime-time national TV appearance. Brown assured Oregon State that he already had an opponent lined up for Eastern Washington to replace the Beavers. He matched up Eastern Washington with Nevada.

But playing Oregon State instead of Baylor made TCU less hungry to play Texas Tech. So Brown helped move a potentially lesser Tennessee Tech team onto the Frogs' schedule on Sept. 11, postponing a trip to Lubbock. When that game will be played has yet to be determined.

And remember SMU, which was supposed to play TCU on Sept. 11. SMU will now host TCU on Sept. 24. And guess where that Friday night game will now end up? Front and center on ESPN.

[deepellumfrog]

Joining the MWC also means walking away from any relationship with ESPN and hooking our wagon to CBSC and Comcast. I still think BYU is out the door, but to keep them, the MWC will have to invite USU. If that happens, TCU will be livid unless two concessions are made to them. (1) That they are in a division with BYU and/or AFA for attendance reasons. (2) That they not be shown on the BYU tv network (I think the Church of Christ folks would have a problem with that one). With the pie shrinking, they're not going to take losing BYU and AFA from their schedule 2 out of four years. If that is not agreed to then they'll bolt.

I hardly think joining th MWC means walking away from any relationship with ESPN. The Frogs had Gameday at TCU last year, and ESPN brokered the deal that brought an 'away' game to JerryWorld next week v Oregon State. If you are a commodity, they will work with you.

If Jerry can make money by having a game in his stadium and by moving you around you get to play a lesser opponent ....see from DMN.....Brown is with ESPN.....

TCU's original 2010 schedule had the Frogs opening at home that day against Baylor. The second game had them visiting SMU, with their third game at Texas Tech.

Then Brown got into the act. At the suggestion of Jerry Jones, he investigated the possibility of moving the TCU opener a few miles east. TCU, which is contractually bound to Versus and CBS College during the Mountain West season, was giddy at the thought of opening its season on ESPN.

Next up, Brown approached always gritty and willing to travel Oregon State about dumping its game against Eastern Washington in favor of a trip to Cowboys Stadium and a prime-time national TV appearance. Brown assured Oregon State that he already had an opponent lined up for Eastern Washington to replace the Beavers. He matched up Eastern Washington with Nevada.

But playing Oregon State instead of Baylor made TCU less hungry to play Texas Tech. So Brown helped move a potentially lesser Tennessee Tech team onto the Frogs' schedule on Sept. 11, postponing a trip to Lubbock. When that game will be played has yet to be determined.

And remember SMU, which was supposed to play TCU on Sept. 11. SMU will now host TCU on Sept. 24. And guess where that Friday night game will now end up? Front and center on ESPN.

I guess its all in how you present the time line. What happened was ESPN wanted Tech to play Texas in week 3, so they pushed us off that week, and gave us Oregon State in Jerry World. Also gave Tech Weber State as a replacement for the Frogs. A 1-AA school would have fit in another week. While I would much rather donkey punch Tech- I am OK with a 'local' away game and a PAC 10 opponent.

[SMU89]

Busy week for ESPN.....

http://www.standard.net/topics/sports/2 ... ks-and-abc


The future distribution model - as CUSA implied......

Used to be the NFL Sunday Ticket package that includes all out-of-market NFL games was reserved exclusively for DirecTV satellite subscribers. This season, DirecTV will also be selling the package via the Internet and a range of mobile devices, including iPhones, BlackBerrys and Androids.

[skyscraper]

Busy week for ESPN.....

http://www.standard.net/topics/sports/2 ... ks-and-abc

Really weird that the DMN Saturday sports media column is run verbatim on a Utah newspaper's website.

[SMU89]

PROVO — Will BYU declare its football independence Tuesday?

Or Wednesday?

Or will an announcement come at all?

BYU officials remained quiet Monday on the future of the athletic department. If the Cougars are leaving the Mountain West Conference before the 2011 season, they must let the league know by Wednesday.

Coach Bronco Mendenhall described Monday how much he has been involved in the discussions with athletic director Tom Holmoe and other school officials.

"I've been included on two occasions just as there seemed to be pivotal crossroads under what we might do," he said. "I was kind of educated, and then asked to remain out of the loop. I don't want our team to be distracted, and I certainly don't want to be distracted. I think it's more appropriate for (the media) to have one voice to go to, that has the answers, so I agreed in principle for Tom to be the point man on this."

Mendenhall confirmed that BYU administrators are continuing to examine their options.

"All I want is at significant moments was be informed and weigh in, then go right back to work. I know this, (BYU officials) are working very hard and exploring every possible option to get the most exposure possible for our program. Whether that will happen this year, next year or the year after that, I can't speak to that, but I do know they're working [deleted] it."

[SMU89]

The Decision: Please make it be known today, BYU
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Jason Franchuk - Daily Herald | Posted: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 12:20 am | No Comments Posted
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It needs to come today.
One way or another, stay or go, BYU must have its resolution known publicly today.
It's only fair.
The school's athletic department actually has until Wednesday (Sept. 1) to make a move that would allow it to compete in a different manner than in the Mountain West Conference for the 2011 season.
It should be some serious pins and needles today, though, as Wednesday and Thursday should be out of the question.
It would be a public relations no-no to try and make some major news then.
 
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This story spread like wildfire. It started basically Aug. 18 with a "hacked" (parentheses, because who knows what really happened?) Twitter feed that served, of all things, Colorado State athletics.
It must be the most attention a Rams athletic department venture has received since Sonny Lubick roamed the sidelines more than a decade ago.
But that crazy clue that BYU was seeking independence lead quickly to a bunch of sources and reports stating that BYU was about to declare its intent to leave the MWC.
Then, of course, all heck broke loose. Nevada and Fresno State appeared to squash the deal when they made a last-minute switcheroo (some would surely call it a back stab) and bolted the Western Athletic Conference for the Mountain West.
So now what we're left with, as of Tuesday morning at around midnight is:
∫The WAC and its remaining six members in a legal battle against the two hasty defectors that isn't going away anytime soon. BYU feels let down and the remaining WAC-sters are steaming. This one's going to court.
∫The West Coast Conference appearing to be the best bet for BYU, should it choose to land all of its other sports in a spot while football sails the rarely treaded (these days) waters of on-its-own. It's not a perfect fit by any means. But it is a bunch of faith-based schools (of much smaller size or magnitude than BYU) adding a potentially desperate member.
∫And a decision needs to -- or should, anyway -- come before football officially starts.
 
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BYU could make the even-bigger splash and wait until Wednesday.
We should be fair here.
There may be t's to cross and i's to dot. This deal may truly not be done Tuesday. Ask the Cougars how fast things can change. It's happened before.
But it would seem to be a major faux pas to try and make themselves appear bigger than the game.
Announce their intentions Wednesday (if indeed there's news), and it starts to roll into newspaper coverage of Utah's season opener the next day.
Announce it Wednesday, and that begins to overshadow three other games, as well.
Yes, it would easily be the biggest story -- the daring of a conservative school to make such a leap of faith.
Yet it doesn't seem right for the Cougars to play that card right now.
Especially when, assuming the WCC is the answer, it wouldn't be the most favorable move for all of its own sports.
There would be some angry coaches and athletes in-house, for sure.
We all know that football is making the world spin in this monumental decision. But part of the reason it seems to be getting delayed is that there's so much to consider at BYU about the treatment of the other sports.
BYU doesn't want to come off looking greedy among its own, either.
 
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The last few days, all I've heard is "point of no return" and other phrases that suggest the Cougars have to leave.
No one likes them in the MWC anymore. So?
This ain't show friends...it's show business!
BYU could easily go back, and not be thought of any less.
Ever play poker?
As Matt Damon's character points out in the poker-themed movie, "Rounders," sometimes the best move actually is to fold. It allows you to keep playing.
Folding (giving up the hand) in this case would be going back to the MWC. Sure, not the best move.  Not outwardly the brave move, or the glorious one.
But even if there are no concessions from the other teams or the league's TV partners, the Cougars could go back to business and usual and wait to come up aces a year or two from now.
I know that's not what fans to hear. But if the numbers don't crunch to the high-ranking BYU officials to make this call, they're under the obligation to not take their ball and go somewhere else quite yet. There's no sense making a bad fit when there's more shopping to be done pretty soon.
No doubt Fresno State and Nevada spoiled some of BYU's leverage. Now the MWC teams probably want to see BYU blink and go all-in to the WCC.
If you're realistic and figure that independence isn't BYU's long-term solution (Big 12, anybody?) then it only seems reasonable to think this isn't the right time to bolt.
The league will have Boise State and TCU still. BYU's profile can still build. The Cougars are so young this year -- imagine the possibilities in football two seasons from now against the MWC.
Money and what BYU officials regularly call "exposure" are still issues, probably even bigger as rival Utah has made its big splash into Pac-10 territory.
But I have yet to see the good side of the Cougars making a similar wave with a belly flop.
If the parameters aren't right in the WCC or the WAC, why force it? No doubt that for every deal offered, there's an equal and opposite reaction to consider.
This really should be the big day. Maybe they'll go. Maybe they won't. Your guess is as honest and probable as mine.

[EastStang]

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/sports/50190862-77/conference-wac-byu-benson.html.csp

Note at the end of the story. Apparently, the $5 Million WAC exit fee was put in place IF BYU joined the league. So, Fresno and Nevada may not have to pay the fee after all. This soap opera is great.