Realignment Update #345: BYU going Independent

[Aughnanure]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5517305

Can this thing just blow up already?

"Brigham Young University will leave the Mountain West Conference for the 2011-12 season, go independent in football and join the West Coast Conference in all other sports, most notably men's basketball.

The WCC confirmed the addition of BYU effective June 30, 2011, on Tuesday but said neither it nor BYU would comment until a news conference scheduled for Wednesday.

BYU had originally agreed to go to the Western Athletic Conference in all sports and go independent in football before the MWC squelched the move by inviting WAC members Fresno State and Nevada two weeks ago."
...

"BYU is working on an agreement with ESPN to televise its games and flesh out its football schedule, according to sources. BYU has already scheduled nonconference games with Oregon State and Texas for the coming years and has lined up a series with Boise State, which is joining the MWC after this season in the WAC. And since BYU is leaving the MWC, the Boise State game will become a nonconference game."

[ChicosBailBonds]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=5517305

Can this thing just blow up already?

"Brigham Young University will leave the Mountain West Conference for the 2011-12 season, go independent in football and join the West Coast Conference in all other sports, most notably men's basketball.

The WCC confirmed the addition of BYU effective June 30, 2011, on Tuesday but said neither it nor BYU would comment until a news conference scheduled for Wednesday.

BYU had originally agreed to go to the Western Athletic Conference in all sports and go independent in football before the MWC squelched the move by inviting WAC members Fresno State and Nevada two weeks ago."
...

"BYU is working on an agreement with ESPN to televise its games and flesh out its football schedule, according to sources. BYU has already scheduled nonconference games with Oregon State and Texas for the coming years and has lined up a series with Boise State, which is joining the MWC after this season in the WAC. And since BYU is leaving the MWC, the Boise State game will become a nonconference game."

The Mtn, a dedicated conference television channel like the Big Ten has, will be affected greatly by this.  That's one of the other hazards of having a conference television network and some members that could easily come and go (i.e. Big East network). 

[Aughnanure]

The Mtn, a dedicated conference television channel like the Big Ten has, will be affected greatly by this.  That's one of the other hazards of having a conference television network and some members that could easily come and go (i.e. Big East network). 

Think this spurs Texas to go it alone at all? Why wait? They could keep all their big rivalries and become even more national -  if thats even possible. BYU already has a TV network established is what I heard, which is exactly what Texas wants to do before it bolts the Big 12 in 2-3 years.

[Husker4MU]

Where would Texas go to play non-football sports?  BYU takes a big step down in all other sports by joing the WCC.  It will be fun to see the Zags with some competition out there. 

Also, don't underestimate the difficultly of scheduling football games.  That will KILL BYU and would hurt Texas as well.  Most conferences will likely increase their number of conference games to increase their inventory of TV opportunities, leaving fewer and fewer slots open for big non-con tilts.  Hell, the Big 10 is going to 9 conf football games in 2015 and I would imagine the Pac 12 will too.  No one wants to play road games in their non-con schedule.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Where would Texas go to play non-football sports?  BYU takes a big step down in all other sports by joing the WCC.  It will be fun to see the Zags with some competition out there. 

Also, don't underestimate the difficultly of scheduling football games.  That will KILL BYU and would hurt Texas as well.  Most conferences will likely increase their number of conference games to increase their inventory of TV opportunities, leaving fewer and fewer slots open for big non-con tilts.  Hell, the Big 10 is going to 9 conf football games in 2015 and I would imagine the Pac 12 will too.  No one wants to play road games in their non-con schedule.

To clarify, BYU is going to the WAC, not the WCC

[ChicosBailBonds]

Think this spurs Texas to go it alone at all? Why wait? They could keep all their big rivalries and become even more national -  if thats even possible. BYU already has a TV network established is what I heard, which is exactly what Texas wants to do before it bolts the Big 12 in 2-3 years.

Well, as stated earlier, realignment is not done, I don't give a rip what Canadian Dimes says on this issue, it's not done by a long shot.  The Big Ten is going to get to 14, the question is when.  They are going East and that means they are taking Big East teams at some point.

Texas is going to launch their own network but I doubt they go independent.  They are in a position to have the best of both worlds.  They have a skewed conference deal that pays them out more than the other members, plus they can get their own network deal and not have to share the revenues.  They don't want to give up on the Big 12 for hoops, baseball, track and some other areas.  They could pull it off for football, but the political consequences are huge so it won't happen there either.  Texas is sitting very pretty in all of this.

This has a long way to go in the next few years.

[GGGG]

To clarify, BYU is going to the WAC, not the WCC

Everything I have read has said WCC....not the WAC.

[79Warrior]

To clarify, BYU is going to the WAC, not the WCC

I don't think so. They were in the WAC years go. I understand they are going in the WCC for hoops, same as Gonzaga.

[Mr. Nielsen]

BYU is going to the West Coast Conf. (WCC) not the WAC.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Everything I have read has said WCC....not the WAC.

You're right...big step down in hoops but I'm sure the WCC is happy.  BYU, get ready for the fun circuit of USD, Santa Clara, St. Mary's, Pepperdine, LMU, Portland, Gonzaga, USF.   They go from a top 8 conference in hoops to barely a top 15. 

[GGGG]

You're right...big step down in hoops but I'm sure the WCC is happy.  BYU, get ready for the fun circuit of USD, Santa Clara, St. Mary's, Pepperdine, LMU, Portland, Gonzaga, USF.   They go from a top 8 conference in hoops to barely a top 15. 

It's better than the WAC...and outside of that they had no options.

I heard today that what they are trying to do, is seperate their football program from the MWC, and prove themselves worthy to a potential BCS conference like the B12.

[79Warrior]

You're right...big step down in hoops but I'm sure the WCC is happy.  BYU, get ready for the fun circuit of USD, Santa Clara, St. Mary's, Pepperdine, LMU, Portland, Gonzaga, USF.   They go from a top 8 conference in hoops to barely a top 15. 

I think you might be a little harsh saying they are barely Top15. Adding BYU improves the conference and they have some decent teams.

[caltruda]

I think this is a nice stealth move for BYU and the WCC for hoops, it almost puts the conference on par with the Atlantic 10. Gonzaga is a perennial power, Saint Mary's has been solid for nearly a decade, and recently there's been a third team that rises up to be a potential spoiler (San Diego in '08 giving the conference 3 bids as the most recent example). It will be curious to see how it affects BYU's recruiting and scheduling, though few big-conference teams have ventured to the Marriott Center the past few seasons. (I think Wake was the last).

[ChicosBailBonds]

I think you might be a little harsh saying they are barely Top15. Adding BYU improves the conference and they have some decent teams.

They were ranked 14th last year in the RPI and 14th in the Pomeroy rankings.  Sagarin had them 13th.  BYU will help them, but I'd say barely 15th is a pretty good spot to put them for now.

[Aughnanure]

They were ranked 14th last year in the RPI and 14th in the Pomeroy rankings.  Sagarin had them 13th.  BYU will help them, but I'd say barely 15th is a pretty good spot to put them for now.

The bigger point here that's missed is that the WAC was pretty bad as a conference anyways without Fresno St. and Nevada....do they even have enough teams any more? I think they're down to 6. BYU's best option was the WCC, besides staying in the MWC.

[GGGG]

They are down to 6 and maybe even 5 because Hawaii is looking to go independent in football and Big West for their other sports.  That would leave Idaho, San Jose, New Mexico State, Utah State and Louisiana Tech - a collection of bad programs spread out all over the place.  And there is talk now that since BYU didn't join, that the $5M exit fee is no longer applicable so Fresno and Nevada might get out for free.

[4everwarriors]

 But, doesn't Utah State still have a legendary basketball coach?

[duanewade]

Well, as stated earlier, realignment is not done, I don't give a rip what Canadian Dimes says on this issue, it's not done by a long shot.  The Big Ten is going to get to 14, the question is when.  They are going East and that means they are taking Big East teams at some point.

Texas is going to launch their own network but I doubt they go independent.  They are in a position to have the best of both worlds.  They have a skewed conference deal that pays them out more than the other members, plus they can get their own network deal and not have to share the revenues.  They don't want to give up on the Big 12 for hoops, baseball, track and some other areas.  They could pull it off for football, but the political consequences are huge so it won't happen there either.  Texas is sitting very pretty in all of this.

This has a long way to go in the next few years.

Let's hope Chicos eventually gets his wish of a Big East implosion and Marquette in the MCC again playing Evansville and Dusquene and a big "told you so" to all the board members. 

[warthog-driver]

But, doesn't Utah State still have a legendary basketball coach?

Yes, it does. Here`s what the USU website has to say:

Over the past 12 seasons, Coach Stew Morrill has established Utah State University as one of the premier programs in college basketball. The Aggies are among in the Nation's best on the court and in the classroom...

[4everwarriors]

Didn't realize JD moonlights writing athletic website propaganda.

[warthog-driver]

Didn't realize JD moonlights writing athletic website propaganda.

Is it the lack of objectivity, the wild overstatement, or the use of "...??"