In recent days a rumor has also surfaced regarding BYU potentially joining the Big East Conference. Deep Shades of Blue has learned that the conference did indeed contact BYU about becoming a football-only member, but that the proposal was turned down by the BYU administration.

Big East programs have been among the many schools that have been talking to BYU about future games.

BYU seems very focused on making football independence work in a big way, and despite the lack of news coming out of Provo, it appears the Cougars are making significant headway in putting together the kind of schedule that was envisioned when the decision was made to embark on a path to independence.

http://deepshadesofblue.com/big-names-li...e-cougars/

Take it FWIW

No surprise here.

If true, this should give us an insight into what the BE is valuing for the 10th member of the conference. What makes BYU a school the BE would prefer over the schools in new markets and are physically closer to the BE schools?

Quick Synopsis

• Good academics (#75 in USNWR)
• Good following, semi national (poor man's ND???)
• A tradition of FB success
  

I'm sure there are things I'm missing, but insights none the less.

I never even knew there was a rumor. If this is true, at least the Big East tried.

(05-17-2011 02:26 PM)Frog People Wrote:  In recent days a rumor has also surfaced regarding BYU potentially joining the Big East Conference. Deep Shades of Blue has learned that the conference did indeed contact BYU about becoming a football-only member, but that the proposal was turned down by the BYU administration.

Big East programs have been among the many schools that have been talking to BYU about future games.

BYU seems very focused on making football independence work in a big way, and despite the lack of news coming out of Provo, it appears the Cougars are making significant headway in putting together the kind of schedule that was envisioned when the decision was made to embark on a path to independence.

http://deepshadesofblue.com/big-names-li...e-cougars/

Take it FWIW

A "football only" membership?!?!?! This conference just kills me sometimes. I apologize for the negativity, but there are just too many agendas within this conference. Good for BYU to turn this nonsense down if true!

Another item from that article to take FWIW:

Quote:One of the reasons a dollar figure has never surfaced for ESPN’s contract with BYU is that the deal is essentially open-ended, with a guaranteed minimum (rumored to be around $8 million per year). Then, as various opportunities present themselves, the two parties will negotiate additional financial terms. The result is that BYU stands to make much more revenue from the deal than anyone outside of the inner circle has considered, perhaps as much as 12 to 13 million per year.

FWIW because (1) We've never seen dollar figures like that reported in "the mainstream media" and (2) BYU definitely wants to talk the numbers up as much as they can because it chaps their hides that little brother Utah will soon be getting more than $20 million per year from the Pac-12 TV deal.

(05-17-2011 02:40 PM)EerMeNow Wrote:  

(05-17-2011 02:26 PM)Frog People Wrote:  In recent days a rumor has also surfaced regarding BYU potentially joining the Big East Conference. Deep Shades of Blue has learned that the conference did indeed contact BYU about becoming a football-only member, but that the proposal was turned down by the BYU administration.

Big East programs have been among the many schools that have been talking to BYU about future games.

BYU seems very focused on making football independence work in a big way, and despite the lack of news coming out of Provo, it appears the Cougars are making significant headway in putting together the kind of schedule that was envisioned when the decision was made to embark on a path to independence.

http://deepshadesofblue.com/big-names-li...e-cougars/

Take it FWIW

A "football only" membership?!?!?! This conference just kills me sometimes. I apologize for the negativity, but there are just too many agendas within this conference. Good for BYU to turn this nonsense down if true!

I don't think they would have been anymore receptive to an all-sports invite. If true it was certainly worth the effort, but just honestly doesn't make a lot of sense for either party.

Background info on the writer...
Brett Richins worked for five years as the play-by-play announcer for BYU football and basketball for BYUtv.
He also worked as a sports anchor and reporter at KLBK-TV in Lubbock, Texas covering Big XII Conference schools.

Follow up post from the writer...
"Let me clarify — BYU did not turn down an official invite from the Big East. As I understand it, they were approached by the BE with the idea, but that BYU isn’t interested in being the Hawaii of the BE. Now if they came back with something that included full membership then that might be a different story. My primary source on this has been right on everything they have told me in the past, including informing me that BYU was going to go independent and move their other sports to the WAC three weeks before it became public. We made a decision at that point not to break the story for fear that it would be harmful to BYU if the info got out. The BE idea may well of been hatched out of the fact that Big East teams have had significant interest in scheduling BYU as an independent."

(05-17-2011 02:40 PM)EerMeNow Wrote:  

(05-17-2011 02:26 PM)Frog People Wrote:  In recent days a rumor has also surfaced regarding BYU potentially joining the Big East Conference. Deep Shades of Blue has learned that the conference did indeed contact BYU about becoming a football-only member, but that the proposal was turned down by the BYU administration.

Big East programs have been among the many schools that have been talking to BYU about future games.

BYU seems very focused on making football independence work in a big way, and despite the lack of news coming out of Provo, it appears the Cougars are making significant headway in putting together the kind of schedule that was envisioned when the decision was made to embark on a path to independence.

http://deepshadesofblue.com/big-names-li...e-cougars/

Take it FWIW

A "football only" membership?!?!?! This conference just kills me sometimes. I apologize for the negativity, but there are just too many agendas within this conference. Good for BYU to turn this nonsense down if true!

You would really want them as an all sports member. That's a lot of traveling. And besides it just shows you how much the Big East really cares about the other candidates, assuming this is true.

(05-17-2011 02:43 PM)Frog People Wrote:  Background info on the writer...
Brett Richins worked for five years as the play-by-play announcer for BYU football and basketball for BYUtv.
He also worked as a sports anchor and reporter at KLBK-TV in Lubbock, Texas covering Big XII Conference schools.

Follow up post from the writer...
"Let me clarify — BYU did not turn down an official invite from the Big East. As I understand it, they were approached by the BE with the idea, but that BYU isn’t interested in being the Hawaii of the BE. Now if they came back with something that included full membership then that might be a different story. My primary source on this has been right on everything they have told me in the past, including informing me that BYU was going to go independent and move their other sports to the WAC three weeks before it became public. We made a decision at that point not to break the story for fear that it would be harmful to BYU if the info got out. The BE idea may well of been hatched out of the fact that Big East teams have had significant interest in scheduling BYU as an independent."

Interesting... Could speed up real quick...

(05-17-2011 02:43 PM)animus Wrote:  

(05-17-2011 02:40 PM)EerMeNow Wrote:  

(05-17-2011 02:26 PM)Frog People Wrote:  In recent days a rumor has also surfaced regarding BYU potentially joining the Big East Conference. Deep Shades of Blue has learned that the conference did indeed contact BYU about becoming a football-only member, but that the proposal was turned down by the BYU administration.

Big East programs have been among the many schools that have been talking to BYU about future games.

BYU seems very focused on making football independence work in a big way, and despite the lack of news coming out of Provo, it appears the Cougars are making significant headway in putting together the kind of schedule that was envisioned when the decision was made to embark on a path to independence.

http://deepshadesofblue.com/big-names-li...e-cougars/

Take it FWIW

A "football only" membership?!?!?! This conference just kills me sometimes. I apologize for the negativity, but there are just too many agendas within this conference. Good for BYU to turn this nonsense down if true!

You would really want them as an all sports member. That's a lot of traveling. And besides it just shows you how much the Big East really cares about the other candidates, assuming this is true.

What do you mean? I don't think anyone here would argue that BYU football only wouldn't make more money for the Big East than any of the discussed additions, it was the Geography/their current deal that would be the problem.

(05-17-2011 02:43 PM)animus Wrote:  

(05-17-2011 02:40 PM)EerMeNow Wrote:  

(05-17-2011 02:26 PM)Frog People Wrote:  In recent days a rumor has also surfaced regarding BYU potentially joining the Big East Conference. Deep Shades of Blue has learned that the conference did indeed contact BYU about becoming a football-only member, but that the proposal was turned down by the BYU administration.

Big East programs have been among the many schools that have been talking to BYU about future games.

BYU seems very focused on making football independence work in a big way, and despite the lack of news coming out of Provo, it appears the Cougars are making significant headway in putting together the kind of schedule that was envisioned when the decision was made to embark on a path to independence.

http://deepshadesofblue.com/big-names-li...e-cougars/

Take it FWIW

A "football only" membership?!?!?! This conference just kills me sometimes. I apologize for the negativity, but there are just too many agendas within this conference. Good for BYU to turn this nonsense down if true!

You would really want them as an all sports member. That's a lot of traveling. And besides it just shows you how much the Big East really cares about the other candidates, assuming this is true.

My dark horse candidate is officially SMU for the 10th member. If the BYU rumor is true, then SMU most closely matches the BYU look. One big difference is the fact that SMU is nowhere close to being as national as BYU, but otherwise both schools have a similar look as far as academic profile, private, past tradition. SMU plus TCU probably allows the BE to extract some value from the DFW area.

That's like saying Rice fits in with Stanfords 'look'.

(05-17-2011 02:43 PM)animus Wrote:  You would really want them as an all sports member. That's a lot of traveling. And besides it just shows you how much the Big East really cares about the other candidates, assuming this is true.

Not really. It speaks more of what they think about BYU than it does how they feel about the other candidates. BYU had "it." They were the top name out there since TCU had already joined. Going down the list it seems and it appears "football only" is definitely something the Big East would consider in a candidate. Doesn't mean I think they'll choose any particular school...just that football only is definitely in play at some level.

(05-17-2011 02:43 PM)Frog People Wrote:  Background info on the writer...
Brett Richins worked for five years as the play-by-play announcer for BYU football and basketball for BYUtv.

Follow up post from the writer...
"Let me clarify — BYU did not turn down an official invite from the Big East.

The mormon "infighting" going on in the State of Utah (yes, many Mormons are fans/alumni of Univ of Utah), between BYU and Utah fans has escalated, ever since Utah is now singing their praises of the HUGE TV Deal the new Pac-12 just signed.

BYU has been made to look like the little step child...when just a few months ago...both schools were seen as equals (i.e. both members of Mountain West Conf).

Not surprised that some BYU blog is trying to say that BYU was really wanted by some BCS Conf...especially since Utah WAS and did get a BCS invite...and now seems to have won the lottery (unexpected TV deal that no one would have predicted).

BYU is still in MUCH better shape as an Independent with their own TV Deal with ESPN vs staying as a member of the MWC...but it has been fun reading reports out of the Salt Lake City/Provo area the last few months...and how the WINNERS are and why (both obviously say they have won...and both would be right...but with one maybe reaping HUGE future benefits over the other).

(05-17-2011 02:49 PM)UCF08 Wrote:  That's like saying Rice fits in with Stanfords 'look'.

You don't get it. Look at TCU and look at BYU. These schools have obvious commonalities that you cannot ignore. You don't see a similarity between these schools and SMU? Culturally, there are similarities between all 3 schools. I don't think the religious component is a factor, but you can see a common theme that is linking back to academics, name brand and location. Evidently, the BE brass is not discounting academics like many on here are. Again, assuming the rumor is true.

Or could this be that the BE has decided they want to go FB only and decided to swing for the fences at the best possible FB only choice?

(05-17-2011 02:53 PM)miko33 Wrote:  

(05-17-2011 02:49 PM)UCF08 Wrote:  That's like saying Rice fits in with Stanfords 'look'.

You don't get it. Look at TCU and look at BYU. These schools have obvious commonalities that you cannot ignore. You don't see a similarity between these schools and SMU? Culturally, there are similarities between all 3 schools. I don't think the religious component is a factor, but you can see a common theme that is linking back to academics, name brand and location. Evidently, the BE brass is not discounting academics like many on here are. Again, assuming the rumor is true.

Academics, really? In truth, the BE can't get the real ND to play in their football conference, so they went looking for ND lite. This offer was about TV only.

(05-17-2011 02:56 PM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  Or could this be that the BE has decided they want to go FB only and decided to swing for the fences at the best possible FB only choice?

That's how I see it. Watch out for Boise BUT we've got a lot more fans (not the casual kind). I can see Miko's SMU argument especially coupled with TCU. Either way this could happen fast.

(05-17-2011 02:56 PM)b0ndsj0ns Wrote:  Or could this be that the BE has decided they want to go FB only and decided to swing for the fences at the best possible FB only choice?

If true, I think that means ECU is next up on the list.