Staying in the MWC- a death sentence?

I've gone back and forth on the issue of independence vs. conference affiliation over the past week, but this post on CB got me thinking that independence may be the best answer. We showed our hand and now the other MWC members will certainly put plans in motion to prevent us from leaving so easily in the future.



Hopefully, if BYU decides to stay in the MWC they will put in writing something to prevent a coup from forming, locking BYU into the MWC for the foreseeable future.

"the MWC has no exit penalties for now -- just a one-year notice period. Most other conferences have huge penalties. The Big East has a 27-month notice period, for example. The WAC enacted a $5mn exit fee on a conference call. They were able to make it binding with a 75% majority.



Did you learn anything from the MWC's destruction of the WAC once President Samuelson dropped off the phone? If BYU doesn't leave the MWC by September 1, the MWC is likely to hold a majority vote on new penalties for exit. Two years notice and $15mn departure fee. It won't matter if BYU signs on or not, it will become part of the 'bylaws' agreed by the super majority and BYU will be stuck with no way to quickly respond if the Big 12 or some other new super conference comes calling."

BYU's plans were foiled by a shrewd move by Hair to add Nevada and Fresno St., I just hope that in our attempt to make amends with the mountain west that we don't shoot ourselves in the foot and make it nearly impossible to ever leave in the future.

I think if BYU stays in the MWC it will be only for this year.



I'm not sure how the MWC could posture to make it difficult for them to leave.



I think Indy or Big 12 is only a matter of time and probably next summer.

Im not sure how it could be construed a death sentence; we've been in the MWC for a decade now, and we've been fine. We could be better but we certainly haven't died. If BYU gets the concessions they want, then the MWC makes more sense than the WCC.



BYU isn't going back the MWC with their tails tucked between their legs. If they agree to any penalty that they'd have to pay for leaving the MWC, I assure you that BYU knows that they'll pay it gladly if it means a Big 12 invite. Again, this isn't about money as much as it is about exposure.

I guess the question is, could a $10-15 million exit penalty be put in place without BYU's approval? Would something like that require a unanimous or majority vote? It would certainly be in the other teams' best interest to make it more difficult for BYU to leave the next time around.



With the latest rumors swirling that BYU may be staying in the MWC, I just hope that the other teams don't go behind our back to make it more difficult to leave when the Big XII comes calling.

craigoscarson » Thu Aug 26, 2010 8:50 am

Im not sure how it could be construed a death sentence; we've been in the MWC for a decade now, and we've been fine.

It would be a death sentence in the sense that we might not be able to get out the MWC as easily in the future. If changes are made to the exit policy making it too expensive for anyone to leave. For most conference members this would be a good thing - creating stability in the conference, while protecting the bottom dwellers (they have no better place to go) from being left in an irrelevant conference. For BYU it would only complicate any opportunity they may have to leave the conference for something better (Big XII) in the future.



I just don't want to see another wrench thrown into our long term plans and I would hope that BYU is playing this one step ahead of the MWC rather than the other way around.

Here is what I am worried about:



Last week we learned that the MWC can have a binding vote without all of its members participating. BYU was not a part of the vote to invite Nevada and FSU. I looked it up later and the bylaws state this:

1.3.6.3 Voting. Each member institution shall have one vote. The chief executive officer of each member institution shall determine the individual who casts the vote on behalf of the institution. If no institutional representatives are present, the institution forfeits its vote.

http://www.themwc.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/mwc/genrel/auto_pdf/07-08Rule1



So lets say that BYU agrees to stay in the MWC. Then the MWC can essentially vote on a new exit penalty. For example instead of just the 9 months notice with no financial penalty like it is now they change it to 2 years notice with a 10 million dollar exit penalty. Or they could do even worse.



Then, like jumanji is saying, BYU is stuck.

Wow, if true that would give BYU that much more incentive to leave now. This would be a really good thing for a NEWS REPORTER to follow up on.

Another question, could they vote this issue only against BYU (no other teams would be bound)? It would be a very screwed up and underhanded thing for the conference to do but after the events of the last couple of weeks I wouldn't put it past them. The MWC has no problem dragging BYU through the mud (See last 2 weeks news stories planted by MWC around conference including Denver Post).

It wouldn't necessarily be a death sentence, but it would show a lack of pride and self-respect. We'd be the wife going back, once again, to the abusive husband.

Schmoe wrote:
It wouldn't necessarily be a death sentence, but it would show a lack of pride and self-respect. We'd be the wife going back, once again, to the abusive husband.

Agree 100%. Schmoe always seems to be able to put things into perspective.

Could they do it? Yes and very quickly. Could they make it apply just to BYU? No it would apply to all. However a smart guy could try to structure it so it would most affect BYU. Afew years ago Minnesota got Hutchington (OL) from Seattle as a free agent and they put some clause it that made it very difficult for Seattle to match but not for Minnesota. That possibility is always out there.



We can declare independence for the 2011 season and if things were to change like the MWC was on the verge of AQ or a new tv contract we could always join them again.