Rumor Mill! Big East Approaches BYU About Football-Only Membership

by Dan Lyons on May 19, 2011 2:00 PM EDT

So the new sexy Big East expansion story that's been floating around the interwebs over the last few days, is that the Big East approached the now independent BYU Cougars about joining the conference as a football-only member. The story broken by BYU blog Deep Shades of Blue in an article about upcoming opponents on Tuesday, and has since made its way around the internet.

There is a lot to be said about this rumor, between how BYU would fit in in the Big East, and what it means for Big East football that the Cougars reportedly turned the conference down.

Now, it's apparent that many aren't a fan of the geographic loosening of the Big "East" conference, between the expansion that brought us Cincinnati and Louisville, and the most recent induction of TCU to the conference. However, like TCU, in my opinion BYU fits the Big East's profile pretty well, aside from the whole "being in Utah" thing. They're a good academic, private school, and unlike many Big East schools, they have a HUGE national fan base. They also have a pretty solid program, and I think that they could definitely be a middle-of-the-pack Big East team more often then not.

I also give kudos to the much-maligned Big East leadership for reaching out to BYU, if this is true. It's an outside-the-box move, but something needs to be done to save the conference and keep it relevant. I'm not an economist, and I'm definitely not the right person to interpret the trends that we're seeing in these new television contracts, but it seems like the Big East is getting hosed by the other five BCS conferences, even the Big 12 which has been hemorrhaging members. Even BYU, as an independent, seems to be working a lucrative deal with ESPN.

In saying no to the Big East, BYU is effectively telling us that they will be able to make more money by itself, and that is not a good sign for the conference. This is coupled with the fact that BYU does not have an automatic BCS tie-in, like their Catholic counterpart Notre Dame does. The BCS bid should be a huge selling point for any mid-major looking to change conferences, but it apparently didn't sway BYU. Maybe winning a national championship isn't a big deal to the university, but I would venture to guess that if the PAC-10 came calling, BYU would pick up the phone.

This isn't a great story from the Big East perspective, even if you aren't a fan of bringing in non-Eastern schools to the conference, because it further shows what the national perception of the conference is. However the silver lining is that John Marinatto and company seem to be doing something about strengthening the football side. Getting to 12 schools, especially if it doesn't further engorge the Frankenstein of a basketball conference that we already have, should be the goal, and BYU would be a very nice addition towards meeting that goal.

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Comments

Well put, all around.

This definitely doesn’t feel good for the Big East. It’s one of those things that happens and you sort of hope no one hears about because it’s pretty embarrassing.

And as much as I hate bringing in football-only members, I can’t really imagine the basketball conference getting much bigger. So it’s good that the Big East is searching for a football solution. But now that this is out, I wonder how that will change other school’s opinions of us. i.e.: “BYU turned you down. You think we’re gonna hit that now?”

Go Tartans!

by voteprime on May 19, 2011 2:17 PM EDT reply actions

I don’t think it will hurt our reputation as everyone already knows we’re not going to pull someone like Mr Lyons so appropriately posted above. Don’t get me wrong, we’ve got some charm, but we’re kind of the Paul Ruud of the BCS. That chick is going to hold out for something better, like when The Big 12 or whatever they are calling themselves goes in for BYU and Boise St

by The Invisible Swordsman on May 19, 2011 3:07 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 1 recs

We’ve all tried to pull someone above our range, and I admire the BE for trying. No shame in rejection…we’re stuck for the above average option (Villanova), or throw back a few and put on the beer goggles (UCF).

by The Invisible Swordsman on May 19, 2011 3:14 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 1 recs

If I believed there was an actual serious proposal made

I’d think it was bad news for the Big East that it was declined. But I’m pretty sure this was just a random crazy expansion rumor, this time kicked up from Salt Lake instead of the usual suspects of local TV stations near Greenville, Orlando, or Memphis.

Worth noting

despite tons of rumors about one proposal or another, the only plan for a major football conference to expand beyond 12 that had anything to it was the Pac-16 plan
Memphis and ECU have never been close to joining the Big East. Ever (and never will be).
Missouri is not in the Big Ten. Neither is Notre Dame.

by drothgery on May 19, 2011 3:25 PM EDT up reply actions

BYU in the Big East?

Where is BYU again? (rhetorical)

Born in '87, Orange fan since '86

by StealthTurkey on May 19, 2011 2:21 PM EDT reply actions

Not a bad idea they are good

Just call it the Big Nation or something like that and grab any good school you want

by Collin B on May 19, 2011 2:28 PM EDT reply actions

low risk and desperate

It’s a low risk move as a football-only arrangement. That said it’s depressing to know how desperate the conference is to grab additions with no real Eastern options. BC in the ACC makes me more agitated by the passing year

by The Invisible Swordsman on May 19, 2011 2:36 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

BYU is a special case

The LDS Church uses BYU athletics as it’s marketing department, so they really are a special case. They went independent for the same reason that Army did: to play in more places, against different teams and achieve a higher level of exposure.

Do they want more revenue? Absolutely, but they’ll take a reasonable hit in that regard to ensure greater exposure that comes with playing a “national” schedule in cities that have larger Mormon populations.

They want to be the Mormon Notre Dame.

by ENova on May 19, 2011 3:08 PM EDT reply actions

That said, they have a good football and basketball program, so maybe it could work.

Geography is meaningless now anyway.

by ENova on May 19, 2011 3:09 PM EDT up reply actions

The problem BYU will find

How can they get 12 games a season with 6 at home as an Indy? ND can do it because 1. they play Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, Pitt, Stanford, USC, and Navy every year. So they only have to come up with 5 other games a year. And those 5 aren’t hard to fill because teams WANT to play ND, who is a name team bringing exposure and is not a bad loss.

On the other side you have BYU. Playing them is risky cuz a loss would be a non BCS loss. Plus with more confs going to 9 games there are less BCS teams avaiable for BYU to play. Plus a return trip to Utah is a PIA.

As to the built in games I am sure they will still play Utah and Utah St every year. The other teams they used to play are MWC teams. Also there is always the WAC teams but does BYU think playing the 2 Utah teams, 2 MWC teams, and 4 WAC teams is a good thing? And even then they still need to find 4 more games to get to 12.

by KingOttoIII on May 19, 2011 3:49 PM EDT up reply actions