Scheduling Rumors Confirmed and Denied

By Brett Richins and unnamed sources:



http://deepshadesofblue.com/big-names-lining-up-to-face-cougars/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



Pretty exciting stuff....USC, UCLA, Nebraska, Wisconsin, etc, etc.



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I was just going to start a topic on this, because I believe some of the claims made in this article are kind of interesting.



The information about the TV contract is probably the most anyone has put out there. I see BYU trying to have 7 home games per year, but they will have a minimum of 6. If the $8 million dollar figure is correct, that would mean that ESPN is paying between 1.33 and 1.6 million per year for each home game that ESPN can televise (BYUtv will televise at least one home game annually). I have a hard time believing that it is that high, but I may be wrong. If that number is in the ballpark, then ESPN has a real incentive to bring teams to Provo. I'm sure they don't want to be paying 1.33 million to be broadcasting BYU vs Idaho every year.



BYU is already getting $950k for the Ole' Miss game, probably somewhere in that range if not higher for Texas, and probably close to that for the TCU game. So, breaking it down that way, BYU will make almost twice as much money from TV in the first two football games this year then they made they made with all sports last year, and almost as much on one game against TCU later in the year. This first year, just taking into account those three games and the $8 million figure for home games, then BYU will pull in between $10.5 and $11 million dollars on those 10 games alone.



BYU will probably also be playing at least one neutral site game every year. This is the exact model that ND was trying to get. They wanted 7 home games, 4 road games, and 1 neutral site game that was considered a home game for them. NBC never could get this done for ND, yet ESPN seems to be doing it for BYU. I wouldn't be surprised to see the 1-1-1 format of home-road-neutral become the hallmark of BYU. Nebraska and BYU in Denver. Wisconsin and BYU in Phoenix or Vegas (huge Badger alum populations in the southwest and California). Someday there could be a BYU vs Notre Dame game in say Seattle at the Seahawks field.



USC and UCLA both want home and homes. Stanford and Cal, while they don't want us in their conference, want us on their schedule. Maryland has already leaked how they are in discussions with BYU.



This could be a really fun time to be a Cougar.

I suspect BYU will announce some of these game just before Junior Day, coming up really soon. It could be a big recruit draw, so use it to close deals with kids you have in camp right then.



In other words, in about 2 weeks or less.

Holmoe has stated they want to make this Independence plan great, and with them turning down the idea of joining the Big East for football only, it appears that Independence is definitiely a long term proposition.



Remember who is on the Board of Directors - First Presidency - and the mission of the church is to spread the gospel throughout the land, and this is best accomplished by exposure.



The possibilities are endless when one considers the thought of playing playing Nebraska, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Penn State, USC, UCLA, Stanford, California, Maryland, Georgia Tech, etc. We would be playing storied programs in large stadiums (think lots of butts in seats = $$$$$$) not to mention the high profile exposure that would be garnered on TV broadcast to audiences across the country and Cougar fans worldwide.



What recruit across the country wouldn't want to play for a school that would have the chance to not just be stuck in one conference but to play traditional powers every week and on TV. Couple this with neutral site match-up games (i.e. Cowboys Stadium vs OK) and you have a special program that would garner lots of attention.

I always knew the tv contract was a huge deal, but I was somewhat blind as to the amount of impact it had on our scheduling until now. I always had the mentality that we are byu and everyone wants to play us. I now realize how true that statement is as long as the tv contract is there to back byu up. I just didn't realize how bad Thompson's tv deal screwed us over. I mean think about if beck to harline had been on national tv. It would be talked about as one of the greatest plays of the last ten years. But since a small audience saw it, it is never even mentioned.



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From strictly a recruiting standpoint, we now offer more than the Yewt group and others with the TV and fan-base exposure that we can garner in the future. I expect a lot more second looks from kids we thought were untouchable beforehand. Kind of takes the steam out of other schools saying that we don't play anyone of consequence.

byucougar1 wrote:
From strictly a recruiting standpoint, we now offer more than the Yewt group and others with the TV and fan-base exposure that we can garner in the future.

WIN.



To me, that is the biggest impact of this issue. Look at the home schedule Utah has vs. our home schedule, and tell me which you would rather have. It's simple=-Utah's. But starting in 2013, our home schedule gets really tasty, along with some awesome road games, like we have in 2011. I always knew BYU could schedule games, as the ND and Texas deals shows, but they were both 2 for 1, and that meant uneven scheduling, and off games some years, which typically means poor teams.



BYU can not build a home schedule on the back of the WAC and expect to compete long term in this marketplace with Utah bringing in PAC-12 opponents. The fence sitter fan or CFB fan would rather go see a game at RES than LES based on 2011 opponents if it is the trend. So BYU has to get quality games at LES. The ESPN deal allows it now because ESPN will splash some cash for a team to come to Provo to play. That part is huge with this deal. BYU has to get quality games at home. Has to. When they show up on schedule, along with our solid road schedule, our recruiting will not suffer one bit due to the PAC affiliation for Utah because our players will play top teams in interesting venues, and on the largest college football platform possible. 2014 and beyond now looks brighter.

The article certainly made me happy. However, I want to actually see some of these deals inked to send the teams mentioned to Provo. I have been a season ticket holder since I moved to Utah in 2002. I support the team and I an excited to see them play, regardless of the opponent. Still, I would much rather schlep to LES to see BYU play Ohio St. than Miami of Ohio. =)

Lawboy wrote:
I suspect BYU will announce some of these game just before Junior Day, coming up really soon. It could be a big recruit draw, so use it to close deals with kids you have in camp right then.



In other words, in about 2 weeks or less.

That's a good call. I've been wondering why Holmoe hasn't announced much with regards to scheduling when he said they were "pretty close" to several deals months ago. It would make sense to strategically get the info out just in time for our recruits to pay a visit.

Hans Olson mentioned that he was going to talk about this article on his show today on 1280 AM. I wasn't able to listen. Did anyone hear what he had to say? From the teaser he was doing it sounded like he was skeptical about this article.