I think it’s safe to say that nearly every BYU fan gives more money to BYU’s parent organization (the Church) than other fans give to their schools. Is there any Alabama or Clemson or Georgia or Ohio State fan that gives 10% of his income, year after year after year, to his alma mater? The governing body of the BYU is comprised of essentially the same people as the governing body of the Church:

About BYU
Administration
Church Board of Education and Board of Trustees
President Russell M. NelsonChairman
President Dallin H. OaksFirst Vice Chairman
President Henry B. EyringSecond Vice Chairman
Elder Jeffrey R. HollandBoard Member
Elder David A. BednarBoard Member
Elder Quentin L. CookBoard Member
Elder Dale G. RenlundBoard Member
Elder Robert C. GayBoard Member
Elder Donald L. HallstromBoard Member
Bishop Gérald CausséBoard Member
Sister Jean B. BinghamBoard Member
Sister Bonnie H. CordonBoard Member
Brother Stephen W. OwenBoard Member
R. Kelly HawsSecretary

BYU is literally “the Lord’s University.” See, e.g. Neal A. Maxwell, Why a University in the Kingdom?, Ensign (Oct. 1975) (“the respect and love of the Lord’s university by the members of the Church will be a crucial ingredient in the process of BYU’s achievement of greatness”).



The football team is objectively the greatest single missionary tool the Church has, alongside the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square:

BYU Football is the most visual public representation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...In terms of a public representation of (the church), that is non-controversial, it’s the football team.

See also https://byustudies.byu.edu/content/brigham-young-university-football-program-and-analytics-revolution

During the 2015 season, its eight games on the ESPN–ABC family of networks reached 14.8 million televisions, an average of 1.9 million each game. In terms of missionary value, the program rivals the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

I’m not arguing that the Q12/BOT should necessarily change their priorities, just pointing out that it is within their power to fund BYU.

I’ll also say that funding BYU football would not necessarily be at the expense of more worthwhile things as the returns from such an investment would pay for itself. A winning football team is not only positive marketing for the school, but also the church. If we grow the church, we can expect tithing receipts to increase. Based on my conservative estimates, the tithing subsidies I received as a Latter Day Saint student at BYU over four years have been “paid back” already in tithing over 11 years as a professional and I have decades of working years left. It sounds crass to talk about tithing like this, obviously.

During President Bateman’s time leading BYU, he called for all sports to be top-20 programs.

“Sports opens the door for the church,” President Bateman said.

If all of the BYU sports are in the top 20 in the nation, people who don’t know a lot about the church might get interested.

It gives us exposure, President Bateman said.

In the end, I believe it was President Nelson who said something like “it’s easy to build temples but hard to build saints.” I can’t find the quotation right now. There is plenty of money to build temples of football. “Build it and they will come” (Field of Dreams). But the fact we haven’t done it means either (1) it’s not the answer or (2) being a BYU football fan is part of the earthly suffering that the saints need to experience 😂