BYU isn't as alone as people may think. Turns out ESPN is a pretty sturdy little lifeboat as the Cougars sail out to Independence Island. Over the next eight years, the king of all sports networks will help the Cougars fill their schedule, set them up in bowl games, provide a ton of exposure, and bring in plenty of money. Sounds like a good deal all around.
It is. Unless the team doesn't win.
Dave Brown, vice president of programming at ESPN, said he was thrilled to be back in business with BYU. He said the Cougars would be all over their family of networks, from ESPN to ABC to ESPN2 to ESPN 5-D (still in progress I think). Athletic director Tom Holmoe said BYU would reach millions and millions of homes and gain unprecedented national exposure.
Then, Holmoe said that the more BYU wins, the more they'd appear on either ABC or ESPN. But if they don't win, they could start showing up on ESPN Venezuela.
So Holmoe has to find a delicate balance between the Notre Dames, the Texases and the Boise States, and the San Jose States, the Hawaiis and the Louisiana Techs. Too many of the powerhouses, and the Cougars could risk 5 or 6 loss seasons. That won't get you on prime time. But too many of the cupcakes, and nobody will tune in to watch.
Holmoe knows what he's doing, though. As he said, this has been in the works for five years. He has set the table for what could be a Notre Dame-like relationship with ESPN. Now it's up to the team to make it work. But I think there's no question it's worth the risk.
