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SALT LAKE CITY -- National perspective on BYU's move to independence in football and the West Coast Conference in other sports varies, although the consensus of writers from coast to coast appears to be that the Cougars will gain more money and exposure.
Once you get out to 2015, 2016, and 2017 they're going to have an awesome schedule.
–Jon Wilner
San Jose Mercury News sports writer Jon Wilner spoke to KSL Newsradio and said there is potential for BYU to become a "mini Notre Dame," with marquee matchups week in and week out in football. The next couple of years could be difficult, however.
"There is a very limited supply of teams the next two years -- they're going to end up with a schedule nobody is really happy with," Wilner said. "But once you get out to 2015, 2016, and 2017 they're going to have an awesome schedule. I think BYU fans are going to be thrilled with the mix of teams they're going to have."
It's unclear how much money BYU stands to make with an anticipated alliance in football with ESPN. Reports have said BYU could earn $1-1.5 million per nationally televised football game, plus whatever money is brought in from other games through local and regional distribution.
"It's going to be somehow based on number of appearances per season - both football and men's basketball - and be a very lucrative deal for BYU football as an independent and also be a good deal for BYU and the WCC on the basketball end of it," Wilner said.
Wilner said the addition of BYU should elevate the status of the West Coast Conference and should result in more NCAA tournament bids for the league.
"BYU will help them go from being a one- or a two-bid league to a two- or a three-bid league a lot of times," Wilner said. "That's a huge financial infusion right there for the league."
Wilner does question BYU's motivation for going independent now, saying it's likely related to Utah's invitation to the Pac-10.
"If Utah hadn't gone to the Pac-10, would BYU be doing what it just did?" Wilner questioned. "I think the answer to that is no, and that tells me this was mostly an ego-driven move."
E-mail: aadams@ksl.com
