TV rules expansion decisions

• TV networks would not pay more to telecast the MWC if Boise State were added — not enough TV homes to matter.

• The MWC is in the midst of a long-term television deal that runs until 2013. If the league adds another team, it will simply be dividing the same money 10 ways instead of nine. By voting to add another team, MWC presidents would be hurting their own bottom line.

(TCU had been granted admission to the MWC when the deal with CSTV was negotiated. No teams have been added since.)

• You could argue that splitting into two divisions and adding a championship game would bring additional revenue to the MWC, but you'd have to add three more teams and split the same amount of money 12 ways instead of nine. The chances of making enough money on a title game to simply break even are virtually nonexistent.

Facilities, academics and athletic prowess are all nice, but it's TV that drives conference expansions.

At least Boise State and the rest of the WAC are on ESPN (though the WAC makes less on its TV deal than the MWC does with CSTV).

I've been assured numerous times over the years by various people at ESPN that they have great respect for Utah, BYU and whatever league they belong to. And yet on both TV and radio last weekend, ESPN told viewers/listeners that Utah had beaten UCLA ... in Provo.

Really.

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E-mail: pierce@desnews.com