Are Big Money BYU Sports Compatible with LDS Church Mission?

Are Big Money BYU Sports Compatible with LDS Church Mission? Dr. Matthew Bowman, co-author of “Game Changers,” zeroes in on the ultimate tension in modern collegiate sports: can you balance God, Mammon, and big money athletics? As BYU integrates into the lucrative Big 12 conference, the historic values of amateurism are directly clashing with the pursuit of NBA stardom.

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Don’t miss our other discussions with Matthew. https://gospeltangents.com/people/matthew-bowman

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The Kevin Young Factor

While millions of dollars and family-friendly environments played a huge role in landing top recruit AJ Dybantsa, his third reason for choosing BYU was head coach Kevin Young. Young left a highly promising coaching career in the NBA to come to Provo, bringing invaluable professional connections with him. During a recruiting pitch, Young even pulled out his phone, called NBA superstar Kevin Durant—whom he coached in Phoenix—and handed the phone directly to Dybantsa. Young is explicitly selling recruits on his ability to get them to the NBA, cementing college sports as a professional stepping stone.

Cautionary Tale of Jimmer Fredette

Matt contrasts this new era of “one-and-done” recruits with the legacy of Jimmer Fredette. Bowman describes Fredette as a player built for the traditional amateur college game who was unfairly pushed into the modern “massive media industrial complex” that demands individual celebrity. Unlike Danny Ainge, who thrived by fitting into a cooperative team system and sharing the ball, Fredette was forced to carry the entire team on his back. This intense pressure to be a singular, massive celebrity ultimately did him a disservice when he reached the NBA, making him a cautionary tale of how modern sports media can chew players up.

God vs. Mammon on the Hardwood: Is this massive influx of money compatible with BYU’s mission?

Bowman argues there is no easy answer. On one hand, church leaders like Henry Eyring have previously expressed that a successful football team acts as a powerful missionary tool. On the other hand, the millions of dollars involved shift the focus away from the character-building, cooperative origins of the sport. Today, the game is increasingly about individual stardom and financial gain, causing significant tension with the university’s spiritual goals.

Will BYU Ever Drop Athletics?

Given this tension, a popular rumor suggests that future church leaders might eventually eliminate BYU’s sports programs entirely, mirroring the decision made years ago to drop athletics at Ricks College (now BYU-Idaho). However, Bowman believes this is highly unlikely. The financial momentum of BYU athletics is simply too powerful to stop. Between Big 12 television money and the sheer influence of massive donor groups—BYU’s NIL collective, the “Royal Blue,” is reportedly the second-largest in the country behind Kentucky—eliminating the sports programs would result in intense backlash from wealthy boosters.

Don’t miss our other discussions with Matthew. https://gospeltangents.com/people/matthew-bowman

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