MWC expansion a la SD Union Tribune

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/aztecs/sd-sp-mountain-west-gonzaga-byu-analysis-20180307-story.html



Valid points. Underlying theme to me though seemed to be to get BYU to "have to" accept terms and not be demanding. Everybody else seems to be given the latitude to have their own demands, but if BYU does, they're labeled cocky, or hard to work with. I'm sorry, but yes BYU does have demands and they have them because they have earned them. Money talks and bull$#!t walks!



I know Hair Thompson and Tom Holmoe will be spending most of the week focusing on the NCAA tournament committee, but would anyone doubt that each will find some time to feel out this situation regarding Gonzaga?

EM_Puma wrote:

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/aztecs/sd-sp-mountain-west-gonzaga-byu-analysis-20180307-story.html



Valid points. Underlying theme to me though seemed to be to get BYU to "have to" accept terms and not be demanding. Everybody else seems to be given the latitude to have their own demands, but if BYU does, they're labeled cocky, or hard to work with. I'm sorry, but yes BYU does have demands and they have them because they have earned them. Money talks and bull$#!t walks!



I know Hair Thompson and Tom Holmoe will be spending most of the week focusing on the NCAA tournament committee, but would anyone doubt that each will find some time to feel out this situation regarding Gonzaga?

It would be a big upgrade for BYU basketball. Step back for BYU football.



Darkhorse prediction: MWC adds Gonzaga, BYU, and GCU for basketball; stays at 12 for football, but formally affiliates with BYU for football games and bowl lineup. Adds Arizona and Washington to the MWC footprint, improves its TV money and exposure, and becomes a consistent multi-bid basketball conference.

BYU and Gonzaga are in two very different situations. Even if The Zags join the MWC I can see BYU staying in the WCC. There's more money and better exposure in the WCC. We get many away WCC games on BYU tv (that'd never happen in the MWC). The WCC has been a very good partner for us. We have never been snubbed or underseeded in the WCC like happened in the MWC. Any recruit that we'd missed out on because we're in the WCC would still have chosen another school even if we were in the MWC. Also football scheduling as an Independent is still way way way better than we'd get in the MWC

YNot has it right. I can see BYU pursuing the ACC/Notre Dame model with the MWC, where we get a home for Basketball and other sports and a scheduling deal with 4-6 games per year in football. Why would MWC do it? Two reasons: 1. butts in seats: BYU fills their stadiums and they know it and 2. Better TV package: BYU's solo TV package was better than the existing MWC package. MWC needs them to get better TV offer, and including games on BYUtv helps a little as well.

ABYUFAN wrote:

BYU and Gonzaga are in two very different situations. Even if The Zags join the MWC I can see BYU staying in the WCC. There's more money and better exposure in the WCC. We get many away WCC games on BYU tv (that'd never happen in the MWC). The WCC has been a very good partner for us. We have never been snubbed or underseeded in the WCC like happened in the MWC. Any recruit that we'd missed out on because we're in the WCC would still have chosen another school even if we were in the MWC. Also football scheduling as an Independent is still way way way better than we'd get in the MWC

I have to agree that the WCC has been very good or "nice" to us and we'd never see anything close to that in the MWC. I certainly see the point that the MWC may be better for us from a competitive stand point, but I love the ESPN/BYUtv deal we have going. Heck, there are some WCC games (usually tournament games) that are aired on BYUtv and don't even involve BYU! I love the idea of playing with private Christian schools. Is it really the best thing for us long term? I'm torn.



And if Gonzaga leaves maybe we can actually win the WCC tournament and get into the Dance?? :whistle:

byufan4ever wrote:
And if Gonzaga leaves maybe we can actually win the WCC tournament and get into the Dance?? :whistle:

Dave Rose would instantly become a better coach.

snoscythe wrote:

And if Gonzaga leaves maybe we can actually win the WCC tournament and get into the Dance?? :whistle:

Dave Rose would instantly become a better coach.

Is that because with Gonzaga gone BYU would no longer lose to Pacific, Pepperdine, LMU, San Diego, Portland, etc.?

Wolverine wrote:

byufan4ever wrote:
And if Gonzaga leaves maybe we can actually win the WCC tournament and get into the Dance?? :whistle:

Dave Rose would instantly become a better coach.

Is that because with Gonzaga gone BYU would no longer lose to Pacific, Pepperdine, LMU, San Diego, Portland, etc.?

Absolutely.

I can see wanting to stay in the WCC a couple years and collect on all of those tournament game credits that GU has earned. I expect us to get a few more this year.

scott715 wrote:

I can see wanting to stay in the WCC a couple years and collect on all of those tournament game credits that GU has earned. I expect us to get a few more this year.

Which is another way of saying - "I can see us staying where we are, making more money, playing better teams in football, playing better locations in basketball and having more nationally televised games than if we go to the MWC."

https://twitter.com/gregwrubell/status/972209127496695808



Adding BYU gives a good chance to get another team into the NCAAs.

The WCC had 2 at-large possibilities: Gonzaga got the auto-bid, and St. Mary's got left out.



The MWC had 1 at-large possibility, Nevada, and they got in after SDSU became a bid thief.



The AAC had 3 at-large possibilities, and all 3 got in, all with high seeds: Cincy, Houston, and Wichita State.



BYU should join the AAC in basketball if possible.

Mars wrote:

The WCC had 2 at-large possibilities: Gonzaga got the auto-bid, and St. Mary's got left out.



The MWC had 1 at-large possibility, Nevada, and they got in after SDSU became a bid thief.



The AAC had 3 at-large possibilities, and all 3 got in, all with high seeds: Cincy, Houston, and Wichita State.



BYU should join the AAC in basketball if possible.

The AAC has no reason to take us without football being part of the deal. They're good enough in basketball without us and the geography and scheduling accommodations aren't worth the trouble. Our football was very attractive to them a couple of years ago, but that's probably diminished after last season. I would like this league to be an option for us, but it probably won't happen. And we still end up taking a hit financially if we lose the ESPN contract.



We're not in a very good place right now if Gonzaga leaves, but I'm not sure what we can realistically do. Maybe the MWC allows us to stay independent in football, but that's very much in doubt. Or we join the MWC and take the financial hit from the loss of the ESPN contract and end up having to pay off our future opponents that we will have to cancel. Given our circumstances perhaps we could negotiate with the MWC to allow us to join for football a few years down the road with a scheduling agreement. The situation for Gonzaga is far simpler and more clear-cut.



If staying put is the only realistic option then we just need to do whatever it takes to upgrade the non-conference basketball schedule like we've done as recently as 2014 and 2015. It's not impossible. We'll have a more experienced team coming back and I think we can still position ourselves ok for getting to the NCAA tournament, With Gonzaga presumably leaving, I tend to lean toward figuring out a way to get back to the MWC, but it's not going to be easy to make that work.

Then join the AAC in football too.

Mars wrote:

Then join the AAC in football too.

I'm ok with that but we still take a financial hit with the loss of the ESPN contract and paying off future opponents we would have to cancel on. BYU has a lot of factors to deal with and work out when it comes to joining a league.

Build the WCC into what it should be.



The upside for the WCC is much greater than the MWC. Just put some money into MBB like the BE does. No reason WCC can't compete with PAC like the BE does with the ACC and B1G. I don't think the WCC or the PAC will ever be as good as the BE, ACC, or B1G, but I do know the MWC will never be seen on the same level as the PAC in the same way the AAC will never be on the same level as the ACC or B1G. The WCC isn't at that level but could be.

jvquarterback wrote:

Build the WCC into what it should be.



The upside for the WCC is much greater than the MWC. Just put some money into MBB like the BE does. No reason WCC can't compete with PAC like the BE does with the ACC and B1G. I don't think the WCC or the PAC will ever be as good as the BE, ACC, or B1G, but I do know the MWC will never be seen on the same level as the PAC in the same way the AAC will never be on the same level as the ACC or B1G. The WCC isn't at that level but could be.

We would need Gonzaga to stay in the WCC. I like University of San Francisco's upside.

I think the WCC will do better next year. At least the bottom 7 teams will be better. Some of those teams were young and made improvement through league play. Hopefully they don't lose a bunch of transfers and maybe get a few good grad transfers to come in.

Just saw the tweet in the sidebar - Mark Few said this morning: "We’ve talked with a bunch of people, not just (the Mountain West). I guess this is just the one that leaked out. Were going to do what’s best for Gonzaga."

here are the two things I'd recommend:



Set a minimum dollar amount for MBB coaches and assistant coaches.



Set some standards for MBB arena facilities (and practice facilities).