(06-23-2019 07:12 AM)ArmoredUpKnight Wrote: How lucky is the AAC that BYU and ESPN couldn't make a deal earlier.
Now it's in ESPN's best interest to strong-arm BYU to join the AAC and replace UConn.
AAC offers a variety of bowl options for BYU. So its not NY6 (which they haven't been in contention for), Hawaii, or bust.
Independent hasn't worked out. ESPN was moving BYU content to ESPN+ in the new agreement no matter what.
ESPN is going to do what ESPN does best, move the chips where they need to be in order for them to make the most money. At the very least it's leverage for ESPN to use on BYU. You can either accept AAC membership or we low ball you as an independent that barely makes bowl eligibility.
Your contact ends in 2019, what are you going to do? BYU needs to secure a TV and bowl agreement this off-season or they run the risk of not having anything. Even if you decide to run to Fox for a tv deal, what do you do for bowl games? Hawaii bowl is owned by ESPN too.
BYU has no leverage, football and basketball has unperformed in recent years. ESPN is the only partner that brings tv money and bowl agreements in hand for 2020.
BYU has the substantial leverage of quality future schedules from 2020 and on, including games that ESPN wants to place on ABC or ESPN - many of which were directly orchestrated by ESPN and some of which will be part of ESPN's media deals with
other major conferences. ESPN wouldn't simply let things go to FOX or CBS.
2020
Home - Michigan St., Missouri, Houston, Utah St., San Diego St.
Away - Utah, Arizona St., Stanford, Minnesota, Boise St.
2021
Home - Utah, Arizona St., Boise St., Virginia, South Florida
Away - USC, Baylor, Washington St., Utah St., Arizona (in new Vegas stadium)
2022
Home - Baylor, Arkansas, Utah St., Wyoming, ECU
Away - Utah, Oregon, Stanford, Boise St.
2023
Home - Tennessee, Utah, Stanford, Boise St., UNLV
Away - Virginia, Arkansas, USC, Houston
2024
Home - Hawaii,
Utah St.
Away - Utah, NC State, UNLV, ECU
2025
Home - Stanford, Virginia, Minnesota,
Utah, Boise St.
BYU also brings a little leverage from the bowl angle. BYU tends to travel better and have a bigger fan base for most of the schools that would be available for the level of available ESPN bowls.
And, I don't think ESPN wants to blow things up so they replace BYU v. Arkansas or BYU v. Virginia or BYU v. Arizona St. with BYU v. Tulsa and BYU @ ECU and BYU v. Tulane.