Following Tom Holmoe comments on Big 12, a look at the issues keeping BYU out

Tom Holmoe appears to be tired of hearing it.

The great thing about Twitter is that it offers the world (or at least those on said social media platform) access to all kinds of people; famous, infamous and totally un-famous. And when BYU Athletic director Holmoe forayed into the Twittersphere (@TomHolmoe), he found it can be an exercise in persistent tongue-biting.

You’d expect fans to engage Holmoe on Twitter on the usual fan-favorite topics: coaching, play-calling, kickoff times, what’s for lunch in the tent at halftime, etc. But, no topic has recently been as irresistible to fans as BYU’s position in the college football conference landscape, and fans are energetically engaging said AD on said topic.

It may have come to a head — at least for Holmoe anyway — yesterday. The tweets regarding BYU and an invitation to the Big 12 — not all cordial nor grammatically correct — likely come in bushels to Holmoe, but yesterday they prompted him to respond.

A fan (it’s apparent by his Twitter page) Rich Neilson (@RiseandShoutOut) tweeted at Holmoe:

@tomholmoe I'm confused about BYU's direction. Does BYU prefer Independence over #Big12 membership? Fans don't know BYU's ultimate goal.

— Rich Nielsen (@RiseAndShoutOut) February 20, 2013

To which Holmoe fired back:

@riseandshoutout Listen carefully- There...has...been...no...offer, thus we strive for great success as independent in football.

— Tom Holmoe (@TomHolmoe) February 20, 2013

He went on to also add, when pressed over what the university wants:

@tayjoyce8 "School" not demanding anything other than the obvious--Sunday play. I fully understand fans preference for BCS.Once again...

— Tom Holmoe (@TomHolmoe) February 21, 2013

Good for Holmoe — and BYU fans. Not all ADs are so engaged and so candid. The gauntlet was thrown down. Reading between the lines, BYU fans take from this that BYU wants in, but the Big 12 isn’t calling.

The question now is, why not?

This is a much more nuanced issue than fans care to admit, and it’s riddled with grave business decisions spread over many organizations, institutions and personalities. In the coming segments of this series, I will present a breakdown of the salient points of BYU's exclusion from the Big 12 from a business perspective.

This is part one of four in a series regarding BYU's potential inclusion in the Bowl Championship series and the Big 12 conference. Part two will address the nature of the Big 12 Conference collective and issues relating to playing sports on Sunday.

Ryan Teeples (twitter.com/SportsGuyUtah) is a respected marketing and technology expert, full-time sports fan and owner of Ryan Teeples Consulting, Inc. (RyanTeeples.com).