If Either BYU or Utah Didn't Exist...

[Marvelous]

There is an article on KSL.com that talks about how BYU and Utah will both be hosting games on Thursday, August 30th (http://www.ksl.com/index.php?sid=209...on-opening-day). At the end, it mentions that 65,000 will be in Provo and 45,000 will be in Salt Lake. It got me thinking, what if one of those two schools didn't exist? Would football be as good in the state? Would ticket demand be just as high, only now combined (in other words, 110,000 would come out for the season opening game - if the stadium were large enough)?

Or, does the rivalry and co-existence increase demand for each individual institution, thus creating a larger combined level of interest? Just curious what you all think.

[wuapinmon]

Would Heidi Klum still be hot if Kathleen Robertson and Bernadette Peters had never been born?

[jay santos]

Nebraska's a smaller state than Utah. I've wondered too what the program would be like it the state had just one powerful program.

[TripletDaddy]

Nebraska's a smaller state than Utah. I've wondered too what the program would be like it the state had just one powerful program.

It would be like things were from the early 70s to the mid 90s.

[Y84it]

I have a conspiracy theory on that exact position. If BYU went away how powerful would UTAH be? How would the PAC 12 benifit? Why won't the PAC12 let Utah play BYU at the end of the year but USC can play ND? Hmmmmmmm?

[All-American]

It would be like things were from the early 70s to the mid 90s.

*sniff*

[Blueintheface]

I have a conspiracy theory on that exact position. If BYU went away how powerful would UTAH be? How would the PAC 12 benifit? Why won't the PAC12 let Utah play BYU at the end of the year but USC can play ND? Hmmmmmmm?

Why can't I find the entrance to the underground bunker under the CCC?

[TripletDaddy]

I have a conspiracy theory on that exact position. If BYU went away how powerful would UTAH be? How would the PAC 12 benifit? Why won't the PAC12 let Utah play BYU at the end of the year but USC can play ND? Hmmmmmmm?

The PAC 12 will be begging BYU to play Utah at the end of the season. That should happen any day now. Stay tuned.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

I have a conspiracy theory on that exact position. If BYU went away how powerful would UTAH be? How would the PAC 12 benifit? Why won't the PAC12 let Utah play BYU at the end of the year but USC can play ND? Hmmmmmmm?

Has Utah asked the Pac to play BYU at the end of the year? IIRC the rule from the conference was simply that teams must ask for approval from the conference to disrupt conference play for non-conference games.

[Y84it]

Has Utah asked the Pac to play BYU at the end of the year? IIRC the rule from the conference was simply that teams must ask for approval from the conference to disrupt conference play for non-conference games.

Thats how they justify the double standard. IMO Utah is PAC12's bitch. They have to do what the PAC12 wants. They want UTAH to grow and BYU to go away. That is the only reason I can believe Utah won't play BYU.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Thats how they justify the double standard. IMO Utah is PAC12's bitch. They have to do what the PAC12 wants. They want UTAH to grow and BYU to go away. That is the only reason I can believe Utah won't play BYU.

So they asked and were told no?

[Blueintheface]

Thats how they justify the double standard. IMO Utah is PAC12's bitch. They have to do what the PAC12 wants. They want UTAH to grow and BYU to go away. That is the only reason I can believe Utah won't play BYU.

You forgot to dust off your shoes.

[San Juan Sun]

If Utah didn't exist, we'd be all be tired of hearing about the University of Nevada Pac Twelves.

[Marvelous]

From purely a fan interest point of view, I think they benefit each other. I think if BYU goes away, then interest in Utah goes away as well. I also think that if BYU and Utah were still tied together (i.e. same conference), BYU fans would care more about Utah games and their TV viewership would go up, and vice versa.

[Commando]

From purely a fan interest point of view, I think they benefit each other. I think if BYU goes away, then interest in Utah goes away as well. I also think that if BYU and Utah were still tied together (i.e. same conference), BYU fans would care more about Utah games and their TV viewership would go up, and vice versa.

Maybe on a local level. However, for me- and this goes for my brothers I've talked to that are Y grads and don't live in Utah- I couldn't give 2 shits about Utah. Sorry Utah CUF peeps (I still love you) They were a bitter rival when I lived in SLC and I would get yelled at to fk off from windows of passing cars when I rocked BYU gear in Sugarhouse, but now that I'm in a different state, I haven't really heard anything about Utah outside of when they play ASU or something and I remember "oh them." If we didn't play Utah it wouldn't diminish my interest in BYU, but the Utah game is interesting to me out of sheer history of the rivalry and the caliber of competition they bring. However, the BSU series could very easily take its place as the marquis rivalry-- especially since I have close friends and family that are hardcore BSU fans.

To the original question, i think there's a natural % of Utahns that don't like BYU out of hand and would just follow some other team, so if Utah was gone BYU wouldn't just magically gain all Utah's fans- maybe just some of the hardcore LDS who are Utah b/c of alumni/family ties. If there was no BYU, there would definitely be more U of U fans in Utah County, though, but then again if there was no BYU UVU would probably flourish (or diminish- you could probably argue either way, since Utah Valley likely wouldn't ever have been as prolific in growth w/out BYU to begin with). In conclusion-- who knows?