than play in Provo, what exactly is Holmoe supposed to do?

His options are

1) accept the breakup fee and get no game and have to scrounge around for another opponent late; or

2) take a neutral site game and get paid whatever fee he can negotiate (which is likely going to be at least as much as the breakup fee and probably more). It is that simple.

He can propose whatever he wants. He can ask for 50-50 tickets or whatever else he wants to do. But ND has ALL the leverage if they are ok paying the $$ and getting no game-- which they seem to have been.

Of those two options, why it isn't obvious to everyone that taking the neutral site game is better? Why does anyone think the Provo option was on the table and Holmoe spurned it?

In terms of the size of the buyout, $2m is roughly what ESPN would have paid us for televising the ND game (which would have been a Tier 1 ABC/ESPN game) in Provo under the original contract that was in place when the ND deal was signed. It is exactly what the cost should have been based on what the contracts were that were in place. You may think it is too low, but it was negotiated fairly and freely based on the world at the time of the negotiation. It is what it is.

My guess is we got the game, the breakup fee, plus whatever we would have made scheduling another opponent. Which is a good deal. And Holmoe was right to take it.