BYU independent for football?

ESPN's sources say it could happen.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=5473151

The talk of BYU using its own network to show games, though, is just talk.
The channel is available for free on both satellite companies and a ton of cable companies, and can't show commercials due to its non-commerical status.

 

What's the motivation behind this? Is it the feeling that the MWC is inferior without Utah? Why go back to the WAC for the other sports unless the MWC won't allow BYU to stay without football?

Seems to me that without Utah and BYU, the MWC and the WAC are essentially the same conference. One has its own TV network and the other has Hawaii.

 

Except Comcast controls the TV network. The Mtn. hasn't reached a deal with Dish Network, which ticks off BYU since a lot of LDS Church members would watch the games. The church used to show games in meetinghouses over its satellite network.

 

BYU do have their own BYU-TV station that you can get on satellite TV, like Dish Network. It's mostly educational and religious programming. They might as well utilize it like crazy.

 

If the catholics can do it with Notre Dame, why can't the mormons?

 

One word: NBC.

 

But if BYU somehow finagles its way into one of those "if we finish in the top 8, we get a BCS bowl bid" deals, it's completely worth it.

It all rides on that. If they get it, like ND has, BYU is gone. If not, BYU stays.

 

There also has to be some TV dollars involved somewhere in addition to the possible BCS considerations. If they have, say, some sort of deal with ESPN to televise most of their games and the BCS deal Notre Dame has they are certainly gone. It might be an easier path to the BCS for them and by playing in the WAC in the other sports they are automatically the league's dominate program.

I think they think they are better than they are and the whole Utah, TCU and now Boise have been to five BCS games between them and BYU's been to none and the fact the Utah got an invite to a bigger conference and BYU didn't is stoking this fire. They are trying to sidestep the league and make a more BYU-centric path. If it works I guess you can't blame them.

And if this happens, the MWC is toast. BYU is its anchor in terms of following. If not for BYU there would be no Mtn. and won't be without it. I've also already heard Boise could possibly go back to the WAC with them and obviously TCU would be looking for the first ticket out.

 

BYU provides the station as a service. It does not get paid to carry the channel, nor can it for its existing carriage agreements.

BTW, it's not a surprise that the Provo Daily Herald is pretty much getting shut out of the coverage. There was a brief and a column by the SE, but no bylined coverage.

 

Done deal according to the Salt Lake Trib:

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/cougars/50131959-88/byu-football-television-conference.html.csp

 

Part of the rumors out there is that Boise State would go back to the WAC.

 

Thus ensuring BYU's football championship in the Sober Conference.