ADVERTISEMENT

Wright to BYU

How come the Utah Jazz owner didn’t donate to NIL while Pope was there? As I understand it, Pope’s players had to abide by Mormon rules. It seems like they are willing to overlook the rules to win big in basketball now.
 
Last edited:
BYU might sneak up and buy a national championship. That might be the one thing that will get Congress motivated to pass national legislation regulating all of this NIL business.
The LAST thing college sports needs is to have Congress involved. If we think things are bad now, can you imagine congress would attach DEI and all kinds of crap to any bill addressing NIL. Congress would want participation trophies for every team.
 
I pay so little attention to actual names in the portal that I thought you meant Jay Wright.
 
Just as portal season started i listed the top nil schools including byu and people acted like i was crazy.

Something about byu I find interesting is this board told me pope never had the resources he'll have at uk. Did they just start spending last year? If so, does that say anything?
The story is there’s a loaded NBA owner loves BYU’s new coach and is bankrolling all this. Pope did great at BYU with what he had but regarding this level of money they did in fact just start spending last year.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Fox2monk
The LAST thing college sports needs is to have Congress involved. If we think things are bad now, can you imagine congress would attach DEI and all kinds of crap to any bill addressing NIL. Congress would want participation trophies for every team.
I didn’t claim it would be a good thing. Just that BYU buying its way out of relative obscurity and into a national championship might be the type of thing that stimulates such reactions.

Imagine if, oh I don’t know… let’s say Western Kentucky suddenly had an endless budget to outbid the Ohio States, Georgias, snd and Alabamas of the college football world, and suddenly crashed the college football playoffs and won a national championship. The interest in “regulating” the NIL system would ramp up dramatically.
 
The story is there’s a loaded NBA owner loves BYU’s new coach and is bankrolling all this. Pope did great at BYU with what he had but regarding this level of money they did in fact just start spending last year.
That story isn’t accurate. The funds are coming from the church. This isn’t about basketball; it’s about marketing the LDS brand.
 
BYU has tons of money. The Jazz owner is likely just a small part in it. They have a literal nation of donors that will give at the request of the university president. BYU has been good before. This isn't new. It's just most recent. The rules now let them show their stuff more than ever before. I think they could be a powerhouse if not for the revenue sharing thing that will limit booster/advertising monies allowed. Wouldn't be a bit surprised if they ask for and get a religious exemption, in some form either.
 
I drove through the BYU campus today. Women are dressed very modestly, loose fitting clothing. Seem to be reasonably attractive though, but that can’t be it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Son_Of_Saul
How come the Utah Jazz owner didn’t donate to NIL while Pope was there. As I understand it, Pope’s players had to abide by Mormon rules. It seems like they are willing to overlook the rules to win big in basketball now.
Ryan Smith can't donate to NIL per NBA rules and denies that he does. Maybe he's just saying that because he has to but those are the rules.
" However, Smith is not allowed to contribute to BYU’s recruiting efforts, because he owns an NBA team6. He’s publicly stated that his financial contributions to BYU hoops is limited to buying tickets, and his part in getting Dybantsa to BYU was apparently limited to talking to him."

Last week, there was another "wow" moment: A.J. Dybantsa, the nation's No. 1 high school basketball prospect, announced his decision to play for Brigham Young University. The 17-year-old secured an NIL financial package reportedly worth $4 million to $7 million. Dybantsa's representatives and Smith said the billionaire had no financial role in the blockbuster deal even though he met with the principals.
 
The story is there’s a loaded NBA owner loves BYU’s new coach and is bankrolling all this. Pope did great at BYU with what he had but regarding this level of money they did in fact just start spending last year.

Hes part of it but its mostly the lds network. What changed in a year? Or did pope have more resources than we thought?
 
Hes part of it but its mostly the lds network. What changed in a year? Or did pope have more resources than we thought?
Why does it matter? Really! We are UK and they are BYU. We are doing quite well and Pope has shown to be able to coach and recruit at a high level. I see no reason to question either due to what BYU is doing while Pope is no longer there. This is NIL now and it's really not apples to apples. I don't get people looking for reasons to bash Pope, who is coming off of taking us to a sweet 16 with a group of guys and a whole coaching staff thrown together late and in a matter of a few weeks. Pope has been absolutely fantabulous so far, in EVERY aspect. Just stop it! He was hired on April 12 of last year and didn't have a single player nor coaching staff member. Just WOW! IMO, he is coach of the year! And people are screaming about why we haven't signed more players this year already, too. We are doing great, with potentially a top 5 of so team already, when this time last year, we didn't have a coach at all nor any players. Unreal!
 
Last edited:
I'd like to see me win the lottery when it is over a billion so I could give half to our NIL but just like the media promoting anything other than dUKe/UNC as the greatest rivalry, it ain't gonna happen
Lol! That's probably right but our rivalry is trending right, while the duke/unc rivalry is not. It has potential, but yeah, any rivalry is probably 85-90% media driven.

I'll say this...IU/UK had potential too and it was good for a while but frankly, I wouldn't care if IU burned their program to the ground tonight. It benefits them way more that it does us and I sincerly wish that we would refuse to play them in any sport for as long as I live. The whole program, from top to bottom as well as their fans, are really garbage. I mean...garbage. We should not do anything that benefits them in any form or fashion...ever. I despise them far more than UL or Duke..Kansas or any program, period. It's the whole thing but their fans can go to hell for all I care. I've never seen anything close to them in sports. We are easy to dislike...I get why opposing fans don't like us) but they(IU) are on a level that no team and fans should ever be on. I'd far rather see a UL/UK rivalry and see both teams succeed that for IU to win an exhibition game. Sheyer, Hurley and K all remind me of Bobby Knight. They could all coach but I wouldn't piss on their ass if their guts were on fire. Sorry for the rant but it pisses me off that we entertain the idea of ever playing IU in anything ever again.
 
What’s the attraction with BYU? The restrictions that college puts on kids is so unrealistic lmao. Like what you mean I can’t hit college chicks bruh
Look up “soaking” in relation to BYU. Lol.

But wonder where all that money was when Pope was there. Seems like they’re going all out for the new guy.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Dalroxas
Yep, they are funded mostly by the Utah Jazz owner, who is basically building a mini-NBA camp at BYU.
That may be true but I read an article that said that a young group of tech b(m)illionaires had formed a group. Their goal was to make BYU relevant again . They provide the money. The Jazz owner may be part of the group or, they provide cash independently.
 
If it’s the LDS church funding, you’d think Notre Dame could put a better team together.
Because most of the Catholic Church's "wealth" is in property (churches, monasteries, schools, hospitals, art, etc.).

Whereas the Mormon Church is run like a for-profit corporation that has close to a quarter TRILLION dollars in mostly fungible assets.

Plus, the Mormon Church is much smaller in reach and population. The Catholic hierarchy isn't particularly concerned about whether people in Sri Lanka get to see Notre Dame win a natty. The Mormon Church is VERY concerned about how Americans view them; they desperately want to be seen as "normal." Throwing $20 million at a national basketball title and all the press coverage that comes with that is seemingly a very worthwhile investment for them.
 
It’s going to be a real experiment for BYU. They better have a real good handle on these kids personalities. It’s almost like the Mormons are using nil and basketball to spread the word like the saudis and LIV.
 
Last edited:
BYU has tons of money. The Jazz owner is likely just a small part in it. They have a literal nation of donors that will give at the request of the university president. BYU has been good before. This isn't new. It's just most recent. The rules now let them show their stuff more than ever before. I think they could be a powerhouse if not for the revenue sharing thing that will limit booster/advertising monies allowed. Wouldn't be a bit surprised if they ask for and get a religious exemption, in some form either.
That won’t work as far as letting them infuse more money in this case, maybe a tax break for donors but other than that every deal must be approved under this new structure going in place. An exemption would give the, specials benefits over other schools.
 
My question is..... Where is BYU getting all their NIL money from???????
Probably the church through donations but I don’t even know if they are allowed to do that. Regardless many of their members are incredibly wealthy. The Romneys alone are worth 300 million if I recall from 2012.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Fox2monk
I have always thought it was strange that the schools with the most money don't spend it buying teams, Vandy, Harvard, etc., honestly up to this point Duke is the only one that has done it. I agree that this BYU deal may get some colleges up in arms, I mean this is completely ridiculous.
 
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT