BYU's Independence Finds New Home in West Coast Conference
by Staffieri on Aug 31, 2010 3:50 PM PDT
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BYU officials, as reported on ESPN, have announced that Brigham Young University will make a a drastic change to its athletic affiliations. The football team at BYU will leave the Mountain West Conference and become an Independent in Football, with the remaining sports becoming joining the West Coast Conference. This news comes after two weeks of debate and rumors about the future home of the Cougars.
Initial Thoughts:
When I first heard that we were going to be Independent in football I was very excited! But that was also at the time when I heard our other sports were going to be part of the WAC conference. That move was squashed by the invitation of Fresno State and Nevada to join the Mountain West Conference. The BYU Brass put their heads together again and after what seemed like months of waiting, we now know the future of BYU.
Football Impact:
I am no longer the fan of independence I once was. For the football team it presents a challenge in motivation and the essence of college football...There is no conference championship to be won. That means the sole motivator every year is going to be a BCS game and the only championship you can win is a National Championship. In the last 10 years BYU has won 4 MWC titles. They have only won 1 National Championship in the school's history. They have not been ranked in the top 10 at the end of the year in over a decade. To me it takes a big punch out of the recruiting pitch. You can no longer show off those MWC conference rings and tell kids that BYU is always in the hunt for a championship.
Will it Work?
I am not concerned about the scheduling of the football team. They will find teams to play. They will most likely force games with other independents to be at the back end of the schedule so as to not disrupt other school's conference play. They will gain more national exposure, but have to keep winning 10+ games a year in order to garner the respect they are seeking.
I see this as a 2-3 year play to build national prominence and then they will look to affiliate themselves with a bigger conference, possibly the BIG 12 when they move to make a Super Conference.
Impact On All Other Sports:
For the other sports this is a tough move as well. The men's basketball team will be tested by some of the nation's best teams. This may help further their experience to go deeper into the NCAA tournament, but it will also make it tougher for them to win their way into March Madness.
Impact on Fans:
What about the impact on fans? There are no close opponents for fans to travel and see games. The closest school is the University of San Diego. While it is a great vacation destination, it is still a 10 hour drive from Provo to San Diego, if you miss all the Highway Patrol cars through Baker and Barstow. As the name suggests, the conference is truly along the West Coast, and BYU is tucked nicely into the Wasatch Front, quite far from any coast.
Why the Move?
The television deal with the Mountain West Conference is the main reason for the move, and without any changes to the contract it will slowly force all the top schools OUT of the MWC.
BYU has the ability to gain more national exposure and increase TV revenue five fold, so why not take advantage of it? The MWC should have worked a deal to utilize BYU's facilities the same way ESPN does, but pride seemed to rule the day for Thompson and associates.
At the end of the day we are all headed down a road that we know nothing about. But as a great poet once wrote, "And I? I took the road less traveled by, and that has made all the difference."
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Thompson has got to be one of the worst commissioners
He called BYU’s hand and found out they weren’t bluffing. He should have tried to make some consesions but now the new MWC is just a step above the old WAC.
Don't trust this guy. He lies.
One more thing
I think the move will actually help their recruiting. Now they’ll be able to tell kids that they’ll get to play on ESPN 4 times a year instead of trying to sell being seen on Versus. Never underestimate the desire of players to be seen on national TV>
Don't trust this guy. He lies.
Outsider scratching my head
The idea of becoming a football independent is crazy to me. Who will want to come to Provo for a home&home series? how will scheduling the Service Academies raise the profile of BYU? Seems like BYU has spurned both the MWC and the WAC.
Texas has already
agreed to home and home series. So it’s doable.
For the Love of the Game
Stockton to Malone- The perfect combination!!
"I think he just said, 'Oh my Gosh,' or whatever they say in Provo."- ESPN talking about QB. Max Hall after BYU defeated third ranked Oklahoma (2009).
MonSTARZ forever!
I don't wish ill will
But it seems like a huge gamble to me. Is there some kind of ND like deal with the BCS? The Non AQ conferences have a formula they must meet but only one of those teams are guaranteed a spot.
You're looking at this quite myopically (no offense intended)
I don’t think BYU is going independent to STAY independent. I think this is a means to an end. They realize that with Utah out, the MWC even with them is a fringe and unlikely BCS conference. Even with an addition of Houston. So they’re getting out now, to increase their exposure and conger up what is more than likely to be more revenue to demonstrate to a Big 12 that not only can they replace Colorado, they can supersede them and help bring even more profits to the Big 12. When you look at in this light, it makes perfect sense. It gives BYU control over their own destiny. I highly doubt BYU stays independent for more than 2-3 years. And the WCC is just a temporary landing ground. The Mtn network is possibly the worst idea in all of sports and BYU just liberated themselves with guaranteed triple income in the process. If the MWC was serious about maintaining themselves, they would have given BYU everything they wished for and added a 12th team to propel the conference to BCS status. Since that didn’t happen, BYU will control their own destiny. MWC will still be the top mid-major conference in the country though.
This does make sense,
because to make independence work, any university needs to have something similar to what ND has with BCS and this will probably never happen again. Also, needs to have a good base schedule with a lot of high profile games with some close to home. ND is very lucky because they are able to schedule three Big Ten teams every year and occasionally one more despite rejecting offers to join that conference (Michigan, Mich St., Purdue every year with occasional game against Ohio St., Penn St., and Neb.)—although this may be threatened with nine game Big Ten conference schedule in future— http://www.offtackleempire.com/2010/8/27/1653922/michigan-hints-that-it-may-want-a#comments ND has a great schedule year in year out as of now with those Big Ten teams, USC, BC, Stanford, Navy, Army/Air Force every year with the flexibility to pick up at least one more big game with remaining schedule—this year Pitt and in the future Texas, is in a good recruiting area (also recruits well nationally), and have the NBC contract. But, BYU should be wary of getting into The Big 12 (I assume one more team added also to make twelve again or just stay at ten) IMO—they will replace one of those North teams and may find themselves in a Nebraska situation going up against the South teams that have a huge recruiting advantage—although this would be better than being in MWC, and I do agree MWC will still be top mid-major conference in the country. Now, if Notre Dame were to join up also along with BYU, I think you have something that would have a good chance to stabilize the Big 12. Having Notre Dame in North would finally help balance things out in regard to recruiting between the divisions—Nebraska has a lot of tradition, but Nebraska is not in a fertile recruiting area (too far away from Texas to get a lot of those players) and the surrounding states are not great either. I always thought ND would have no incentive to join up, but if those Big Ten opponents refuse to play them, then ND may have trouble with their schedule and could become vulnerable.
technically a 2 for 1
Mountain West Connection The best site for MWC sports!
by Jeremy Mauss on Aug 31, 2010 7:10 PM PDT up reply actions
The Texas deal is essentially a 2 for 1
Remember they already play in 2011. I know they didn’t come as a package deal but regardless it amounts to a 2fer.
Notre Dame is also talking to BYU to start an anual series
It’s hard for independants to schedule games in Nov when schools are in the middle of conference play. Now with 4 independents, they can all play each other during the month for at least 3 of the weeks. When you add Utah and Utah St, that’s 5 good games every year. Plus, I’m sure old school WAC teams like Wyoming and Air Force would still love to schedule BYU on a semi-regular bases considering their long history together. The schedule will be better than people seem to think it will be.
Don't trust this guy. He lies.
I think this is a much
better move than going to the WAC. The WCC actually has some weigth to be thrown around in the NCAA basketball world unlike the WAC. So the basketball team gets better competition. That’s never a bad thing. I’d rather have that than blow out everyone in a lesser conference.
I think football wise this just makes sense. More money, own broadcasting, chance to get into a bigger conference later on if we so decide.
For the Love of the Game
Stockton to Malone- The perfect combination!!
"I think he just said, 'Oh my Gosh,' or whatever they say in Provo."- ESPN talking about QB. Max Hall after BYU defeated third ranked Oklahoma (2009).
MonSTARZ forever!
how is this better then the WAC?
If the WAC stayed as they are currently with Fresno and Nevada the WAC was a better move. Now it maybe a wash
Mountain West Connection The best site for MWC sports!
by Jeremy Mauss on Aug 31, 2010 7:11 PM PDT up reply actions
How is it a wash?
Utah State is the only good basketball program left in the WAC and St. Mary’s has beaten them twice in the last two years . . .
The WAC was a better situation before Fresno and Nevada left
But once they left, the WCC was a much better option. BYU also fits the profile of the WCC where all the schools are private religious schools.
Don't trust this guy. He lies.
That's exactly what I meant.
Thank You.
For the Love of the Game
Stockton to Malone- The perfect combination!!
"I think he just said, 'Oh my Gosh,' or whatever they say in Provo."- ESPN talking about QB. Max Hall after BYU defeated third ranked Oklahoma (2009).
MonSTARZ forever!
Didn't BYU end the season at #6 in 1996?
This was my freshman year, and BYU blew out pretty much every team they faced that year, so I’m pretty sure I’m remembering correctly.
(I know I could go look it up, but I’m being lazy.)
somewhere around there.
Mountain West Connection The best site for MWC sports!
by Jeremy Mauss on Aug 31, 2010 10:32 PM PDT up reply actions
Actually, they finished the year #5
They had a 14-1 record and beat Kansas St in the Cotton bowl. They should gone to a BCS bowl but teams from non-AQ conferences didn’t have any guarantees like they do now. That’s what drives me so crazy. Utah fans like to brag about going to 2 BCS bowl games but seem to forget that it was BYU that made it possible. The first concessions to non BCS leagues came after this season because of the outrage of leaving the 5th rankd team in the nation out of the process.
Don't trust this guy. He lies.
But those big bowl games were still around
The Rose Bowl just wan’t part of the pictuer, neither was the BCS championship. But BYU still deserved to go to one of those top Bowl games.
Don't trust this guy. He lies.
I don't know how this will all turn out.
On the one hand, I fear change. On the other hand, I do think there’s some potential there. So since I can’t do anything about it, I’m going to choose to go with the flow.
I will say, though, that I’m selfishly sorta happy about the WCC as opposed to the WAC. I’m in the Bay Area, and this will present a lot of opportunities to go see BYU play (especially in basketball—that will be fun). And I can say that generally whenever a BYU team plays here, there’s a really good contingent of BYU fans there.
Best wishes ot teh Cougars!
I think it’s a good move for BYU financially and respect wise in the long run. People are nay saying, but give your guys a few years to firm up some world class schedules and you guys will be loving it.
There are some fine athletic programs in the WCC in B-Ball and V-ball and you guys will love that exposure for recruiting.
Bold move, way to stick to your guns, good luck Cougars!
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