Sunday, November 13, 2011

Boise St. as Independent? Great for BYU, ESPN

It's been reported that Boise State is trying to convince BYU to jump with them to the Big East.  Why not turn it around?  What if BYU convinced Boise State to go independent in football?

Boise State has already entertained the thought of joining the Big East in football only.  This means they are open to having their other sports in a different conference (possibly back in the WAC).  Why not take the football team and go independent?

TV Coverage:  ESPN loves Boise St. and could give them a contract like they did with BYU.  ESPN featured Boise St. during their time in the WAC and has often created "for TV" non-conference games with Boise St. Both sides are likely missing that relationship now.  During the last few years, Boise St. has built a national following due to their wide-open, high scoring, risk-taking offensive style.  With the poor TV contracts in the current Mountain West Conference, they are losing the fans they had converted over the last 10 years.

For games that are not on the ESPN networks, BYUtv could take their HD truck the short drive up I-15/I-84 to Boise and broadcast the game.  This would give BYUtv more exposure to people nationwide.

Competition:  Boise St. has suffered from playing only a couple good teams per year, and the rest terrible teams.  This year, they have exact one good conference matchup, with TCU, but that will end next year with TCU going to the Big 12.  Being independent would allow them to play more good teams on national TV.

Rivalry: Boise St. has never had a true rival.  BYU has lost their rival to a different conference.  Having Boise St. independent would allow BYU to play Boise St. the last week in November and create a new, but still regional, rivalry.

Bowls: If Boise St. doesn't make a BCS bowl game, they can always play in their "own" bowl game, the former Humanitarian Bowl (now called the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl). This is the bowl game played at the Boise St. stadium each December. In addition, Boise St. and BYU could negotiate together for deals with two bowl games. The better team goes to the better bowl each year.

From BYU's perspective, having the winningest college football team in the last 10 years as an partner in independence would provide validation to their position and give more bargaining power with the BCS to allow independents better access.  BYU would regain a regional rival they could play annually to end the year.  BYU fans would always have a nationally-relevant game in November to look forward to.

What do you think?


  1. Great idea, but don't think it will ever happen.

  2. BYU has what Boise doesn't. BYU has a national fan base and a TV station starved for content. Independence doesn't buy for Boise what it buys for BYU.

  3. @Ostler Clan: BYU could enter into an agreement with Boise to air their games on BYUtv (when ESPN doesn't pick them up). That would make it a lot easier for them to make the jump. One problem is that Boise would want to get paid for the TV rights for their games. BYUtv is built more off of an exposure model than an revenue generating model, so I don't know how much BYUtv could afford to pay to broadcast games. My guess is that they would offer to do it for free to give a school exposure if they didn't have any other TV broadcast options.

  4. I think it could work, assuming BYUtv is willing to show the games that ESPN doesn't want. I think BCS access is the same: win all your games and you are in (just not the championship). Plus, I feel Utah really dissed us by leaving to PAC with out us. You don't see OK leaving OKstate or any other true rival leaving the other. We need a new one I for one would like it to be BSU.

  5. I don't know what to think. I still believe that BYU needs to play in a major conference for football and basketball. But it doesn't look like this is what the BYU administration wants. They seem to want independence. To me this makes some sense, but in the long run BYU needs to be in a conference with constant high level opponents to grow both football and basketball.

  6. I love it! I do think Boise state has a good following outside of Idaho because of how well they've done and how creative they've been. It's always entertaining to watch Boise State play. I think it's pretty obvious that ESPN loves Boise State which is what would make it work for them. There's no question that this would make independence a lot better for us.