BYU football: Cougar, WAC 'prenup' gives insight

BYU, because of its scheduling cooperation, was to be granted access to a bowl game affiliated with the WAC if BYU did not receive its own bowl invitation.

"BYU will be guaranteed one of the WAC's current four bowl spots as long as its record is better than that of the WAC team finishing third in the conference standings," the MOU stated. "BYU will be responsible for all expenses and any liability associated with the bowl game."

But, because the football scheduling would usually have a pro-BYU slant, the Cougars were willing to pay guarantees to schools that ended up playing in Provo, but did not get an even number of "return" games.

"During the term of the agreement, if BYU does not play a 'return' football game with a WAC member, BYU will provide that team with a guarantee of $700,000 per game."

In the revisions, it was made clear the $700,000 was just a starting point in negotiations and the actual guarantee money would not be as high.

The agreements, which as of now are not going to happen, included an eight-year term, a $2 million buyout for BYU and $5 million buyouts for the other schools — with the option to waive the buyout for Louisiana Tech. If any WAC school in the agreement, including BYU, were to leave for a BCS conference, the buyout fee would also be waived. BYU would agree to not rejoin the MWC if that conference were to eventually receive automatic qualifying BCS status.

Other provisions made for the Cougars included an agreement to not schedule BYU games of any kind or any conference championship tournament games on Sundays and to avoid scheduling BYU games on Mondays.

Though no longer a possibility after Fresno State and Nevada decided a home in the MWC (possibly with BYU remaining) was preferable to staying in the WAC (with BYU jumping aboard in all sports but football), the Memorandum of Understanding provides a glimpse into the thinking behind what was almost a ground-shaking shift in college athletics in the western United States.

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