I got thinking about this and am not sure of the answer. I'm not an expert when it comes to the TV contracts, but I think this may end up being part of the realignment conversation.

Does ESPN pay us more per game or do they pay the P5 conferences (that they have agreements with) more per game? Or even bigger question does ESPN have deals with the Big-12 and Pac-12?

If they get our games for cheaper why would they want us to join a conference? Especially with the schedule we have going forward where we will be playing big time teams for them to showcase.

It seems like fox has the tier-1 rights for the big 12 is that right? And the Utes don't play on ESPN often at all so I'm not sure how involved ESPN is with the pac-12 either. Why would ESPN ever want their independent team to join a conference and then lose their rights to show our games?

I know that ESPN is a very powerful force. I also know we have been told and think of them as a friend/ally. But I'm thinking that maybe they are a great friend for helping us stay relevant and being a fringe power team, but it also serves them well for us to remain independent.

Sure if the conferences really want us they'd snag us with or without ESPNs approval, but if ESPN wants us to remain independent that can't help our cause of getting included.

Thoughts?