(01-25-2020 05:13 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(01-25-2020 04:59 PM)RutgersGuy Wrote:  

(01-24-2020 05:45 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  

(01-24-2020 05:27 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(01-24-2020 04:46 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  Agree that if Boise leaves the MW, the MW is greatly diminished, and if it lost all three of those it would probably be the weakest of the G5 conferences on the field and in brand value. Gutted.

But I have doubts about whether the AAC can lure any of Boise, Air Force, or SDSU away.

When MWC ditched ESPN the last time, ESPN responded by giving WAC a pretty nice raise that lifted the league notably above MAC and Sun Belt money.

Time zones matter and ESPN didn't treat western non-AQ football as strictly a commodity, it wasn't far removed from that.

MWC sans Boise is likely still going to be priced as the second most valuable G5 league. They can offer a useful time zone that Pac-12 is growing less inclined to fill and they offer proximity that makes scheduling useful. A quick count, 6 MWC schools that are not Boise State and are not Hawaii host a P5 in 2020.

I've dealt with Thompson, he's no dummy. Throwing down the gauntlet so quickly with Boise State makes me think he and the presidents have a pretty good idea that they are no worse off economically sans Boise State than they are if Boise State remains and gets an extra helping from the serving tray.

I don't think they want Boise to walk because Boise State does have a great brand but if they force the Broncos to stare into the abyss and conclude that they are worse off if they leave, then the other 10 equity members get more money.

The real questions are
Can Boise leave and do better financially?
The league obviously believes the answer is No. If they thought it were Yes they would be in Iowa State and Baylor mode dealing with OU and UT.
Can Boise leave and be in a roughly equal situation?
Maybe MWC believes the answer is No which makes the play logical or they are hoping the calculation is such that Boise's new leadership wouldn't roll the dice where Kustra might have.

Timing is interesting as well. There has to be a reason to pull the pin on that grenade right now rather than closer to the next contract.

The Fox/CBS deal is with Boise State. Boise State goes independent? MWC gets weaken, and they can not fulfill the agreement as the deal is void, and MWC will wind up with a new deal which would be far less.

No, it doesn't void the agreement, at least not right away.

It voids major portions of the agreements. The contracts said that Fox gets Boise's home games and that CBS gets Boise's road games. If Boise leaves the MWC, then the MWC aint got no Boise games to deliver.

So those contracts would be in for serious renegotiation, in a downward direction.