Big 12 window for BYU appears closed – at least for a while

Big 12 window for BYU appears closed – at least for a while

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In case you’ve not heard the latest, it seems as if BYU’s chances of joining the Big-12 Conference are dwindling in a hurray. Best case scenario for the Cougs is that Missouri leaves. According to Jay Drew of The Salt Lake Tribune, that won’t happen any time soon. On top of all that, we don’t even know if BYU would be next on the list to join if Missouri did depart the league.

Wait on Big 12 plans continues for BYU, and more from Mendenhall

It’s kind of hard to know if BYU ever did actually receive an invite to the Big-12. It seems the Cougars were certainly #1 on the list ever since Texas A&M began their exodus form the league. TCU, the eventual invitee wasn’t even on the Big-12 radar at that time. In fact, we were told the Big-12 saw no value in adding another small program from Texas. However, either all those reports were misleading or BYU was going to be invited and something went awry. I believe an offer really was on the table. There is rarely that much smoke without fire. And clearly BYU made a lot of sense for the Big-12-

  1. A smaller, but new TV market in Salt Lake City
  2. A tradition rich, winning football team wtih 63,000 fans routinely at home games
  3. Plenty of BYU fans in the BIG-12 footprint to attend road games, thus bolstering ticket sales for the entire league
  4. A great basketball program that could compete in the high powered Big-12  

So with what seemed like a perfect fit, what on earth happened?

BYU decided they really did want to stay independent and go with their whole “increased exposure” plan on ESPN with BYU TV replays, etc.

or….

BYU simply made too many demands of the Big-12: wouldn’t budge at all on BYU TV, no Sunday play, perhaps were only going to go Football in the Big-12, etc. You wonder if the Big-12 finally said “You guys really are a pain to deal with. We’re the Big-12 and you bow to us; not the other way around.”

We may never know, but again, it does not look promising. Cougar fans – for now, go ahead and get accustomed to the independence route. And don’t get your hopes up for BCS Bowl access any time soon.

Matt Nielson has been writing about the college sports landscape in Utah and the Intermountain West since 2010. When he’s not pretending to be a professional blogger, he works full time as a residential real estate agent and house flipper. Matt graduated from Brigham Young University in 2000. He and his family reside in Salt Lake City, UT.

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