BYU-WAC MOU

Prenup? The BYU-to-the-WAC "Memorandum Of Understanding" (MOU):



http://www.deseretnews.com/article/700059598/BYU-football-Cougar-WAC-prenup-gives-insight.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;





"WAC to provide BYU with a minimum of four football games per year and a maximum of six football games per year — not counting any long-term scheduling agreement that may be contracted with Hawaii or Utah State... For the 2011 season, two games will be played in WAC Stadiums and four games will be played at BYU. For 2012 season, three games will be played in WAC stadiums and three games at BYU. Beginning in 2013, half of all games played will be played in WAC stadiums and half will be played at BYU."



"BYU President will serve on the WAC Board of Directors and have full voting privileges on all issues except those pertaining to the sport of football... BYU to have full representation on WAC Council and all and any standing committees and all coaches groups and have full voting privileges on all issues, except those pertaining to the sport of football."



"BYU commits to televising via its cable network the following WAC events: all matches of the WAC volleyball tournament not televised by ESPN, all games of the WAC men's and women's basketball tournaments not televised by ESPN, all games of the WAC baseball tournament and softball tournament... BYU will have the rights to televise any other WAC championship events that is wishes, along with any other regular-season events when permissible per the ESPN contract."



"WAC will retain 100 (percent) of all the rights fees it receives from its ESPN agreement. BYU will retain 100 (percent) of all rights fees it receives from its ESPN contract. There will be no sharing of television revenues by either party... WAC will retain 100 (percent) of all BCS revenue that it receives. BYU will retain 100 (percent) of all BCS revenue that it receives. There will be no sharing of BCS revenues by either party."



"BYU will be guaranteed one of the WAC's current four bowl spots as long as its record is better than that of the WAC team finishing third in the conference standings... BYU will be responsible for all expenses and any liability associated with the bowl game."



"During the term of the agreement, if BYU does not play a 'return' football game with a WAC member, BYU will provide that team with a guarantee of $700,000 per game."

So why did FSU and Nevada pull out of this agreement? It makes no sense to me. The only reason that makes sense is they wanted to stick it to BYU. This is now the second time Nevada has bailed on the Cougars. I just don't understand their reasoning.



If the letter is accurate and if the DesNews is printing it, I have no reason to believe it isn't, what a great deal for the WAC and Fresno and Nevada. BYU was basically becoming the Mountain Network for the WAC.

It still makes me sick reading about all those WAC games, especially the part of playing them at their venues. While I understand it could be a "necessary evil" to make the move to independence, but I hope there are some other "prenups" out there for playing big name schools over a series of years.



Air Force and TCU or BSU every year I can stomach, but not Army and Navy. With 4-6 WAC schools almost every other game needs to be a reputible opponent for BYU to have a respectable schedule.



That is why I think the WCC would be so good. Complete freedom for football, and a home for almost all the other sports. Basketball shouldn't suffer. I don't see how BYU basketball gets worse if we are schooling Gonzaga every year. That would be an automatic 5 seed or better in the NCAA tournament.

Fresno State and Nevada are not forward thinkers is all I know. They took the short term cash instead of looking at the long term benefits to having BYU. The WAC ESPN deal would have been renewed so ESPN could get BYU in road games and men's hoop, and would probably rival that of the MTN deal. When does the WC deal expire? And if BYU bails on the MWC, those teams are in a worse position. However, if BYU gets that Big 12 invite, FSU and Nevada made a smart move, and I am willing to bet that they wagered on this happening in the next couple of years for sure.

The way this article came across to me this morning is that we would use the WAC as a fall back thru 2012 just to help fill the schedule (6 games). After that point it would drop to 4 WAC games because we have now have had 2 years to schedule higher quality home and home games. We also had the oportunity to drop below the 4 WAC game per year limit but we would have to buy out the game (max $700k) if we wanted to bring in another non-WAC game.

Personally, It probably wouldn't have been the best schedule the next couple of years but after that you would have seen something like (schedule sent to me by a fairly good placed source);



BYU – Texas (Big 12)

BYU – CUSA

BYU – ACC or SEC

BYU – Big East

BYU – WAC

BYU – Service Academy (rotating Air-Force, Army, Navy)

BYU – Utah (every year) PAC 10

BYU – Hawaii (every year)WAC

BYU - WAC

BYU – Utah State (every year)WAC

BYU – Notre Dame (last game of season each year)

· This becomes the new big rivalry (very fun)

BYU - BcS or WAC Bowl Tie-in



*every other year we would get to add a 13th game because we play Hawaii at home

Many big name programs routinely never schedule road OOC games (I'm looking at you Nebraska and Florida) Giving them 8 home games every year. Yet I bet if BYU did this they would be criticized for it.