Why BYU won't join the AAC --- It would have to spend $30M to $60M to do so
I've seen a lot of talk on here that BYU could simply join the AAC right now if wanted to. It's not that easy.

BYU's football schedules are pretty much filled through 2023. If BYU wanted to join the AAC in 2020, you are looking at BYU having to buy out close to 30 games already scheduled, just to make room for the AAC schedule. Some have argued that BYU could simply move those 30 games to future years----not likely!! Those schools aren't going to move games 20 years into the future.

Also, in every BYU game contract, the only way it can cancel a game without a buyout is if it joins a P5 conference (PAC12, SEC, ACC, BIG12, or BIG TEN) within 24 months, prior to the game being played. Otherwise it is a $2M to $1M buyout, per school.

Here is the Tennessee vs BYU contract that explores this.
https://247sports.com/college/tennessee/...-51458915/

From Section 13 (a) of the series contract:

“If BYU joins a Power 5 conference (SEC, ACC, Big 10, Big 12 or PAC 12) and begins competing in a full Power 5 conference football schedule prior to or beginning in the 2023 season, the 2023 GAME may be cancelled by BYU, at its sole discretion, with no liquidated damages if notice is given twenty-four (24) months prior to the 2023 GAME. Specifically, notice of cancellation due to Power 5 conference affiliation should be given prior to September 1, 2021 to waive liquidated damages described in Section 14.”

If either team otherwise breaches the contract, the team breaking the agreement would owe $2 million to the other school, with the payment made within three months of the breach.


Bottom line. BYU would have to spend between $30 to $60 Million dollars if it tried to join the AAC. It isn't going to do this.

Just so everyone knows, here are BYU's future football schedules.

It's obvious that a lot of years are full, and that BYU would need to buy out a lot of games, so it could play an 8 game AAC schedule.

https://www.cougarboard.com/cougarsports...edule.html

The #12 spot is JMU's to lose.

(07-03-2019 02:03 PM)HuskyU Wrote:  The #12 spot is JMU's to lose.

Not sure if ESPN will force the AAC to add a 12th school or not...

But assuming, yes, I think the AAC will need to look at CUSA or the Sun Belt. The only MWC school that makes sense is possibly Air Force, but I'm not sure they are interested.

A wild card is Liberty. They might be a good addition. And they are in the AAC footprint.

(07-03-2019 02:00 PM)MWCRobert Wrote:  Why BYU won't join the AAC --- It would have to spend $30M to $60M to do so
I've seen a lot of talk on here that BYU could simply join the AAC right now if wanted to. It's not that easy.

BYU's football schedules are pretty much filled through 2023. If BYU wanted to join the AAC in 2020, you are looking at BYU having to buy out close to 30 games already scheduled, just to make room for the AAC schedule. Some have argued that BYU could simply move those 30 games to future years----not likely!! Those schools aren't going to move games 20 years into the future.

Also, in every BYU game contract, the only way it can cancel a game without a buyout is if it joins a P5 conference (PAC12, SEC, ACC, BIG12, or BIG TEN) within 24 months, prior to the game being played. Otherwise it is a $2M to $1M buyout, per school.

Here is the Tennessee vs BYU contract that explores this.
https://247sports.com/college/tennessee/...-51458915/

From Section 13 (a) of the series contract:

“If BYU joins a Power 5 conference (SEC, ACC, Big 10, Big 12 or PAC 12) and begins competing in a full Power 5 conference football schedule prior to or beginning in the 2023 season, the 2023 GAME may be cancelled by BYU, at its sole discretion, with no liquidated damages if notice is given twenty-four (24) months prior to the 2023 GAME. Specifically, notice of cancellation due to Power 5 conference affiliation should be given prior to September 1, 2021 to waive liquidated damages described in Section 14.”

If either team otherwise breaches the contract, the team breaking the agreement would owe $2 million to the other school, with the payment made within three months of the breach.


Bottom line. BYU would have to spend between $30 to $60 Million dollars if it tried to join the AAC. It isn't going to do this.

Stay at 11 until 2023, not that hard. UConn can’t even fill a schedule for 2021

Or, deals could be worked out to distribute those games to other AAC teams OOC schedules and maintain the original terms of the contract.

Definitely not a deal breaker. If that's the biggest hurdle for BYU (which it's not), then they are in good shape if they really wanna join the club.

(07-03-2019 02:10 PM)muckdawg24 Wrote:  Definitely not a deal breaker. If that's the biggest hurdle for BYU (which it's not), then they are in good shape if they really wanna join the club.

So, you think spending $30 to $60M is not a big hurdle?

Also, you can't just tell the already scheduled schools that they are going to have to play an AAC team instead. What if they want the money instead? What if they don't want to play an AAC team?

It is a huge hurdle, and why it isn't going to happen. I think BYU will just remain Indy for now, and sign a new ESPN deal within the next few months.

(07-03-2019 02:14 PM)MWCRobert Wrote:  

(07-03-2019 02:10 PM)muckdawg24 Wrote:  Definitely not a deal breaker. If that's the biggest hurdle for BYU (which it's not), then they are in good shape if they really wanna join the club.

So, you think spending $30 to $60M is not a big hurdle?

Also, you can't just tell the already scheduled schools that they are going to have to play an AAC team instead. What if they want the money instead? What if they don't want to play an AAC team?

It is a huge hurdle, and why it isn't going to happen. I think BYU will just remain Indy for now, and sign a new ESPN deal within the next few months.

Ok, bye

Because you can figure out a way to honor the contracts without having to pay out. Or you phase BYU into the conference. The conference is not going to explode in 2020. We can wait. Apparently you cannot.

(07-03-2019 02:15 PM)TheBigEastSucks Wrote:  

(07-03-2019 02:14 PM)MWCRobert Wrote:  

(07-03-2019 02:10 PM)muckdawg24 Wrote:  Definitely not a deal breaker. If that's the biggest hurdle for BYU (which it's not), then they are in good shape if they really wanna join the club.

So, you think spending $30 to $60M is not a big hurdle?

Also, you can't just tell the already scheduled schools that they are going to have to play an AAC team instead. What if they want the money instead? What if they don't want to play an AAC team?

It is a huge hurdle, and why it isn't going to happen. I think BYU will just remain Indy for now, and sign a new ESPN deal within the next few months.

Ok, bye

Bye.

Best of luck.

I'll be curious to see which school the AAC adds. I am also admittedly curious what ESPN does.

(07-03-2019 02:00 PM)MWCRobert Wrote:  Why BYU won't join the AAC --- It would have to spend $30M to $60M to do so
I've seen a lot of talk on here that BYU could simply join the AAC right now if wanted to. It's not that easy.

BYU's football schedules are pretty much filled through 2023. If BYU wanted to join the AAC in 2020, you are looking at BYU having to buy out close to 30 games already scheduled, just to make room for the AAC schedule. Some have argued that BYU could simply move those 30 games to future years----not likely!! Those schools aren't going to move games 20 years into the future.

Also, in every BYU game contract, the only way it can cancel a game without a buyout is if it joins a P5 conference (PAC12, SEC, ACC, BIG12, or BIG TEN) within 24 months, prior to the game being played. Otherwise it is a $2M to $1M buyout, per school.

Here is the Tennessee vs BYU contract that explores this.
https://247sports.com/college/tennessee/...-51458915/

From Section 13 (a) of the series contract:

“If BYU joins a Power 5 conference (SEC, ACC, Big 10, Big 12 or PAC 12) and begins competing in a full Power 5 conference football schedule prior to or beginning in the 2023 season, the 2023 GAME may be cancelled by BYU, at its sole discretion, with no liquidated damages if notice is given twenty-four (24) months prior to the 2023 GAME. Specifically, notice of cancellation due to Power 5 conference affiliation should be given prior to September 1, 2021 to waive liquidated damages described in Section 14.”

If either team otherwise breaches the contract, the team breaking the agreement would owe $2 million to the other school, with the payment made within three months of the breach.


Bottom line. BYU would have to spend between $30 to $60 Million dollars if it tried to join the AAC. It isn't going to do this.

Same thing was true of Navy. They just delayed the year of their actual entry. BYU could join and arrive for play in 2023 or 2024 at very little cost. Nobody expects or is saying they would be arriving the year UConn leaves.

(07-03-2019 02:16 PM)muckdawg24 Wrote:  Because you can figure out a way to honor the contracts without having to pay out. Or you phase BYU into the conference. The conference is not going to explode in 2020. We can wait. Apparently you cannot.

Nope. BYU cannot wait, you are correct.

It either needs to join the AAC right now (paying out huge buyouts), or re-up with ESPN.

I think that's why the interest has been so one-sided. The AAC wants BYU, but BYU hasn't expressed any interest in joining. That's what Aresco seemed to suggest when he went on BYUtv.

(07-03-2019 02:18 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(07-03-2019 02:00 PM)MWCRobert Wrote:  Why BYU won't join the AAC --- It would have to spend $30M to $60M to do so
I've seen a lot of talk on here that BYU could simply join the AAC right now if wanted to. It's not that easy.

BYU's football schedules are pretty much filled through 2023. If BYU wanted to join the AAC in 2020, you are looking at BYU having to buy out close to 30 games already scheduled, just to make room for the AAC schedule. Some have argued that BYU could simply move those 30 games to future years----not likely!! Those schools aren't going to move games 20 years into the future.

Also, in every BYU game contract, the only way it can cancel a game without a buyout is if it joins a P5 conference (PAC12, SEC, ACC, BIG12, or BIG TEN) within 24 months, prior to the game being played. Otherwise it is a $2M to $1M buyout, per school.

Here is the Tennessee vs BYU contract that explores this.
https://247sports.com/college/tennessee/...-51458915/

From Section 13 (a) of the series contract:

“If BYU joins a Power 5 conference (SEC, ACC, Big 10, Big 12 or PAC 12) and begins competing in a full Power 5 conference football schedule prior to or beginning in the 2023 season, the 2023 GAME may be cancelled by BYU, at its sole discretion, with no liquidated damages if notice is given twenty-four (24) months prior to the 2023 GAME. Specifically, notice of cancellation due to Power 5 conference affiliation should be given prior to September 1, 2021 to waive liquidated damages described in Section 14.”

If either team otherwise breaches the contract, the team breaking the agreement would owe $2 million to the other school, with the payment made within three months of the breach.


Bottom line. BYU would have to spend between $30 to $60 Million dollars if it tried to join the AAC. It isn't going to do this.

Same thing was true of Navy. They just delayed the year of their actual entry. BYU could join and arrive for play in 2023 or 2024 at very little cost. Nobody expects or is saying they would be arriving the year UConn leaves.

Fair point. It would probably be 4-5 years before BYU could enter the AAC, then.

(07-03-2019 02:17 PM)MWCRobert Wrote:  

(07-03-2019 02:15 PM)TheBigEastSucks Wrote:  

(07-03-2019 02:14 PM)MWCRobert Wrote:  

(07-03-2019 02:10 PM)muckdawg24 Wrote:  Definitely not a deal breaker. If that's the biggest hurdle for BYU (which it's not), then they are in good shape if they really wanna join the club.

So, you think spending $30 to $60M is not a big hurdle?

Also, you can't just tell the already scheduled schools that they are going to have to play an AAC team instead. What if they want the money instead? What if they don't want to play an AAC team?

It is a huge hurdle, and why it isn't going to happen. I think BYU will just remain Indy for now, and sign a new ESPN deal within the next few months.

Ok, bye

Bye.

Best of luck.

I'll be curious to see which school the AAC adds. I am also admittedly curious what ESPN does.

It isESPNs decision to make, if they want you in the aac you will be here. If not you will remain independent make less money, never sniff a ny6 bowl and struggle to keep future schedules. ECU was one of the first schools to be independent and I loved it but it’s not sustainable long term imo. Good luck and my vote is to add you, even though it won’t be easy.

(07-03-2019 02:20 PM)MWCRobert Wrote:  

(07-03-2019 02:18 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(07-03-2019 02:00 PM)MWCRobert Wrote:  Why BYU won't join the AAC --- It would have to spend $30M to $60M to do so
I've seen a lot of talk on here that BYU could simply join the AAC right now if wanted to. It's not that easy.

BYU's football schedules are pretty much filled through 2023. If BYU wanted to join the AAC in 2020, you are looking at BYU having to buy out close to 30 games already scheduled, just to make room for the AAC schedule. Some have argued that BYU could simply move those 30 games to future years----not likely!! Those schools aren't going to move games 20 years into the future.

Also, in every BYU game contract, the only way it can cancel a game without a buyout is if it joins a P5 conference (PAC12, SEC, ACC, BIG12, or BIG TEN) within 24 months, prior to the game being played. Otherwise it is a $2M to $1M buyout, per school.

Here is the Tennessee vs BYU contract that explores this.
https://247sports.com/college/tennessee/...-51458915/

From Section 13 (a) of the series contract:

“If BYU joins a Power 5 conference (SEC, ACC, Big 10, Big 12 or PAC 12) and begins competing in a full Power 5 conference football schedule prior to or beginning in the 2023 season, the 2023 GAME may be cancelled by BYU, at its sole discretion, with no liquidated damages if notice is given twenty-four (24) months prior to the 2023 GAME. Specifically, notice of cancellation due to Power 5 conference affiliation should be given prior to September 1, 2021 to waive liquidated damages described in Section 14.”

If either team otherwise breaches the contract, the team breaking the agreement would owe $2 million to the other school, with the payment made within three months of the breach.


Bottom line. BYU would have to spend between $30 to $60 Million dollars if it tried to join the AAC. It isn't going to do this.

Same thing was true of Navy. They just delayed the year of their actual entry. BYU could join and arrive for play in 2023 or 2024 at very little cost. Nobody expects or is saying they would be arriving the year UConn leaves.

Fair point. It would probably be 4-5 years before BYU could enter the AAC, then.

Your local show said 2023 would be no issue and was a good listen

(07-03-2019 02:23 PM)TheBigEastSucks Wrote:  

(07-03-2019 02:17 PM)MWCRobert Wrote:  

(07-03-2019 02:15 PM)TheBigEastSucks Wrote:  

(07-03-2019 02:14 PM)MWCRobert Wrote:  

(07-03-2019 02:10 PM)muckdawg24 Wrote:  Definitely not a deal breaker. If that's the biggest hurdle for BYU (which it's not), then they are in good shape if they really wanna join the club.

So, you think spending $30 to $60M is not a big hurdle?

Also, you can't just tell the already scheduled schools that they are going to have to play an AAC team instead. What if they want the money instead? What if they don't want to play an AAC team?

It is a huge hurdle, and why it isn't going to happen. I think BYU will just remain Indy for now, and sign a new ESPN deal within the next few months.

Ok, bye

Bye.

Best of luck.

I'll be curious to see which school the AAC adds. I am also admittedly curious what ESPN does.

It isESPNs decision to make, if they want you in the aac you will be here. If not you will remain independent make less money, never sniff a ny6 bowl and struggle to keep future schedules. ECU was one of the first schools to be independent and I loved it but it’s not sustainable long term imo. Good luck and my vote is to add you, even though it won’t be easy.

A few responses to your points:

(1) the NY6 bowl is irrelevant in modern college football. Sure, it is a nice bowl game against a P5 program (who is disappointed to be there, and not in the playoffs), but that's all it is. The only "relevant" bowls anymore are the 4-team playoffs. If it expands to 8 teams soon, and the AAC gets an autobid to the playoffs, then things change dramatically. But that hasn't happened.
And sure, its cool to play a P5 in a Bowl game....but BYU is already playing a lot of P5s in the regular season.

(2) Why do you think BYU will make less TV money than the AAC?
BYU is expecting to get a pay increase with the next ESPN contract. When considering the ESPN Football contract, West Coast Conference TV Contract, and BYU owning its own Tier 3 rights (BYUtv), most BYU fans think that they will make more than the AAC. I guess we'll soon see.

(3) Struggle to keep future schedules. BYU right now is on pace to schedule 4-7 P5 schools per year, plus Boise and USU every year (rivalry games). I don't see that changing.
The AAC offers a lot of fun and challenging games, but in the AAC, BYU would probably play at most 2-3 P5 games per year.

So....there are positives and negatives for both scenarios if you are BYU.

Don't get me wrong. BYU's AD and Aresco are great friends, and I see both sides continuing to work with each other in the future.

(07-03-2019 02:05 PM)MWCRobert Wrote:  

(07-03-2019 02:03 PM)HuskyU Wrote:  The #12 spot is JMU's to lose.

Not sure if ESPN will force the AAC to add a 12th school or not...

But assuming, yes, I think the AAC will need to look at CUSA or the Sun Belt. The only MWC school that makes sense is possibly Air Force, but I'm not sure they are interested.

A wild card is Liberty. They might be a good addition. And they are in the AAC footprint.

There is no world where Liberty gets enough AAC college presidents to vote to let them in the conference.

(07-03-2019 02:34 PM)MWCRobert Wrote:  

(07-03-2019 02:23 PM)TheBigEastSucks Wrote:  

(07-03-2019 02:17 PM)MWCRobert Wrote:  

(07-03-2019 02:15 PM)TheBigEastSucks Wrote:  

(07-03-2019 02:14 PM)MWCRobert Wrote:  So, you think spending $30 to $60M is not a big hurdle?

Also, you can't just tell the already scheduled schools that they are going to have to play an AAC team instead. What if they want the money instead? What if they don't want to play an AAC team?

It is a huge hurdle, and why it isn't going to happen. I think BYU will just remain Indy for now, and sign a new ESPN deal within the next few months.

Ok, bye

Bye.

Best of luck.

I'll be curious to see which school the AAC adds. I am also admittedly curious what ESPN does.

It isESPNs decision to make, if they want you in the aac you will be here. If not you will remain independent make less money, never sniff a ny6 bowl and struggle to keep future schedules. ECU was one of the first schools to be independent and I loved it but it’s not sustainable long term imo. Good luck and my vote is to add you, even though it won’t be easy.

A few responses to your points:

(1) the NY6 bowl is irrelevant in modern college football. Sure, it is a nice bowl game against a P5 program (who is disappointed to be there, and not in the playoffs), but that's all it is. The only "relevant" bowls anymore are the 4-team playoffs. If it expands to 8 teams soon, and the AAC gets an autobid to the playoffs, then things change dramatically. But that hasn't happened.
And sure, its cool to play a P5 in a Bowl game....but BYU is already playing a lot of P5s in the regular season.

(2) Why do you think BYU will make less TV money than the AAC?
BYU is expecting to get a pay increase with the next ESPN contract. When considering the ESPN Football contract, West Coast Conference TV Contract, and BYU owning its own Tier 3 rights (BYUtv), most BYU fans think that they will make more than the AAC. I guess we'll soon see.

(3) Struggle to keep future schedules. BYU right now is on pace to schedule 4-7 P5 schools per year, plus Boise and USU every year (rivalry games). I don't see that changing.
The AAC offers a lot of fun and challenging games, but in the AAC, BYU would probably play at most 2-3 P5 games per year.

So....there are positives and negatives for both scenarios if you are BYU.

Don't get me wrong. BYU's AD and Aresco are great friends, and I see both sides continuing to work with each other in the future.

Good points on the cost of cancelling games. I have no idea what the contracts look like. Disagree about NY6 being meaningless. About 9.5 Million tuned into UCF/LSU.
1.3 Million tuned into the BYU bowl game. Getting into NY6 doesn't hurt recruiting either lol.

Has the current BYU TV deal ever been released. I just see people guessing on the details of it.

Whelp...

Some anonymous poster with 35 posts to his record has spoken. Guess the dream's over.