there are so many moving parts to consider and to control. Making negotiations public not only hinders progress but adds to the moving parts you are attempting to control.

Let's consider just a few of the parts that need to be agreed upon and signed before the public is made ware (including advertisers, media, etc.)

1) Entrance fee: a) amount; b) lump sum or broken up over time (full membership vesting time period
2) Exit penalties: is the conference willing to help in absorbing some of the costs for a quicker exit
3) Vesting time period to become eligible for equal payouts: When do the schools being added become vested and eligible for equal payouts with the other members
4) Voting rights - are they suspended until the vesting period is reached, or do the new schools have equal say immediately
5) Bowl payouts and NCAA credit payouts
6) Creating equal divisions and travel partners
6) Determining championship and tournament sites
7) TV revenues
8) stipends
10) Advertiser rights
11) Academic requirements
12) Required ticket blocks for visiting team within the conference
13) NOT completing the schedule but working out general thoughts and plans on balancing cross-over games with divisional games (travel and strength)

There are many others but this gives you a taste or sample what might be taking place behind closed doors.

For those who say or feel there can be nothing going on because it is quiet just do not understand how business works. I have made many multi-million dollar and even billion dollar transactions from plush offices, to conference rooms, yachts, to hotel rooms that were converted from sleeping quarters to make shift conference rooms so no one would know what was really taking place. If the walls could talk, people would be amazed what takes place under their noses or next to their ears. We have had to use aliases at check-in at the hotels or when on-site of the hosting company.

If you think you need to be privy to the negotiations or to even know they are occurring, think again. You and I DO NOT need to know -

Perhaps there is nothing going on. If that is the case, does it change anything today or tomorrow - no. Perhaps something is going on - does it change today - no. Will it change tomorrow - perhaps.

To make an assumption that BYU is out of expansion discussions due to the lack of talk, is a huge and uneducated leap.

Go Cougars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!