Conference Realignment Updates

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CUSA, as an aside, has morphed into a sort of allegiance of non-aligned schools. Meaning, schools who would be independent in normal times but live in a time when belonging to some sort of conference has more weight. It serves two purposes, unofficially, but is integral. First, it serves as a welcoming league for FCS schools looking to move up, and it can also serve as a feeder league for teams wanting to go for a more concrete league. Granted, its not exactly the sexiest existence a league can have, but it could be more of a purpose than some leagues have at the moment.
 

FanSinceTheFifties said:
OK. Then we're satisfied to be chronically in the lower half of the conference? To lose the majority of our games to our rivals? To pay coach after coach with no improvement in outcomes? To spend loads of money on facilities with no better results? Or does someone have a feasible plan to raise the program out of its six decade slump?
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Until something happens to fix all the NIL/paying player/transfer issues, I don't think anything major happens with Minnesota or similar programs, which, to be honest, includes the majority of the B1G. At some point there has to be a handle on this mess.
 

metrolax said:
CUSA, as an aside, has morphed into a sort of allegiance of non-aligned schools. Meaning, schools who would be independent in normal times but live in a time when belonging to some sort of conference has more weight. It serves two purposes, unofficially, but is integral. First, it serves as a welcoming league for FCS schools looking to move up, and it can also serve as a feeder league for teams wanting to go for a more concrete league. Granted, its not exactly the sexiest existence a league can have, but it could be more of a purpose than some leagues have at the moment.
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Yeah, it's the league that will take basically anyone in order to stay afloat. Hence NMSU, who nobody wanted, in part because they have a historically awful football program (the Kill era aside) and Liberty, who nobody wanted because of who owns/runs the school and the politics involved. I wonder if Idaho had stayed FBS if they wouldn't have ended up there as well. For a long time, it seemed that the Sun Belt was the bottom feeder conference, but it turned out they actually play some good football there.
 

swede2 said:
Hawaii has signed a grant of rights with the MWC through 2032 for FB so that option is off the table for the PAC-7. I think Sac St would pay an entrance fee if it would get a PAC invite. NDSU maybe too. Beyond that, the options are getting very small for the PAC-7 and they are going to have to dig deep and part with a good chunk of that "war chest" it ended up with when the P4 programs left the conference.

This morning the report is that MWC is putting the hard sell on Texas State. I'm sure right now Texas State admin is on the phone with Sun Belt, AAC, MWC, C-USA and PAC taking bids.

This is weird, wild stuff.
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But Hawaii is still football only for now. So both the MWC and the PAC need two additional full members. I still think we see UTEP, NMSU, Texas State as most likely to move, but then there still needs to be one more move to fill both conferences unless Hawaii becomes a full member. I can't remember - did UTSA say they're not going anywhere?
 

Right except that the PAC only needs one more member. The point with Hawaii is that because of the GOR, PAC doesn't have the HI fallback option. The PAC play now seems to be litigation with MWC, diminish or eliminate the MWC "war chest" and thereby free up UNLV when MWC can't payup.

No idea on UTSA. I can't keep it all straight. I assume they are off the table when we're talking NIU and Toledo.
disco said:
But Hawaii is still football only for now. So both the MWC and the PAC need two additional full members. I still think we see UTEP, NMSU, Texas State as most likely to move, but then there still needs to be one more move to fill both conferences unless Hawaii becomes a full member. I can't remember - did UTSA say they're not going anywhere?
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MWC and UTEP are in "serious" talks according the ESPN; and the MWC has extended a verbal offer to Texas State, who ESPN reports is also of interest to the PAC. Does TX State somehow get on televisions in both San Antonio and Austin? Both conferences really seem to want into Texas. The assumption is that with Texas State, the highest bidder will win.

Meanwhile, Sacramento State has, in addition to announcing new stadium plans last week, announced it has raised $35 million for NIL. It really wants into the PAC.

The Wyoming AD is adamant that of MWC breaks up, his program won't drop to FCS. He let slip that as for MWC expansion/retraction, there are FCS schools "on the board." FCS has to be a very last option judging by the MWC jockeying.

UPDATE: UTEP to MWC announcement made. MWC in deep discussions with recent DII to FBS school Tarleton (Tx) State (heads are exploding in North Fargo). Gonzaga to PAC (with discussions with St Mary's and Grand Canton ongoing). PAC won't be a bad hoops conference. Things move fast in the collegiate sports equivalent of Aldi.
 
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swede2 said:
MWC and UTEP are in "serious" talks according the ESPN; and the MWC has extended a verbal offer to Texas State, who ESPN reports is also of interest to the PAC. Does TX State somehow get on televisions in both San Antonio and Austin? Both conferences really seem to want into Texas. The assumption is that with Texas State, the highest bidder will win.

Meanwhile, Sacramento State has, in addition to announcing new stadium plans last week, announced it has raised $35 million for NIL. It really wants into the PAC.

The Wyoming AD is adamant that of MWC breaks up, his program won't drop to FCS. He let slip that as for MWC expansion/retraction, there are FCS schools "on the board." FCS has to be a very last option judging by the MWC jockeying.

UPDATE: UTEP to MWC announcement expected soon. MWC in deep discussions with recent DII to FBS school Tarleton (Tx) State (heads are exploding in North Fargo). Gonzaga to PAC (with discussions with St Mary's and Grand Canton ongoing). PAC won't be a bad hoops conference. Things move fast in the collegiate sports equivalent of Aldi.
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The folks over at Bisonville are apoplectic over the Tarleton rumors.

That said, they are rumors. I've read that it's possible the Tarleton stuff is being floated to push Texas State into making a decision quickly.

And poor NM state. The only team close to them (UTEP) is leaving for the MW and it doesn't look like they're going to get an invite. How awful must the relationship between UNM and NMSU be?
 
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obviously, there is a lot going on behind the scenes.

but based on the public chatter, it sure seems as if the MWC is being a lot of aggressive in trying to get back to 8 football schools. the PAC, meanwhile, seems to be focusing on basketball schools. don't get me wrong - they could wind up with a very nice hoops conference - but in order to have that coveted "conference' status, the PAC needs to get to 8 football schools.
 



short ornery norwegian said:
obviously, there is a lot going on behind the scenes.

but based on the public chatter, it sure seems as if the MWC is being a lot of aggressive in trying to get back to 8 football schools. the PAC, meanwhile, seems to be focusing on basketball schools. don't get me wrong - they could wind up with a very nice hoops conference - but in order to have that coveted "conference' status, the PAC needs to get to 8 football schools.
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St. Marys and GCU as non-football members have been discussed regarding the PAC. If that happens, you have an elite hoops conference.
 



Brett McMurphy Tweets out the following:

Pac-12 still needs 1 more full member, but league won’t be adding another school until media rights evaluation is completed, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ.

This process could take anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months. Several schools continue to reach out w/interest in joining Pac-12, but league is currently not negotiating w/any schools about membership, sources said.

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this makes sense to me. If a school is even considering a change in conferences, the first question would be "how much will we receive in TV revenue?" If the PAC can't answer that question, there's not a lot of incentive to make the change. that is allegedly the reason why the AAC schools balked at making the move.
 



It seems like the obvious choices for the future football PAC would be #1 UNLV and/or #2 Texas State based on school and market size. Neither of these schools, nor any of the other new PAC members, are anywhere near the academic level of the former PAC schools so that factor probably doesn't matter much.
 

Panthadad2 said:
I fail to see why the Mountain West would be any upgrade to the Sun Belt for Texas State.
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The only difference on paper really, is that the MWC still has a few flagship schools for their respective states (Nevada/UNLV, New Mexico, Wyoming, Hawaii) as opposed to the directionals and other minor schools in the Sun Belt.
 

Panthadad2 said:
It seems like the obvious choices for the future football PAC would be #1 UNLV and/or #2 Texas State based on school and market size. Neither of these schools, nor any of the other new PAC members, are anywhere near the academic level of the former PAC schools so that factor probably doesn't matter much.
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UNLV has signed a GOR with MWC. Not available to the PAC.
 

This is interesting, and explains a reason why NM State hasn't been seriously considered for the MW.

For a long time, NMSU's use of what amounts to an on-campus junior college (DABCC) to get ineligible players eligible for a year (many of the times NMSU basketball players redshirted for a year before playing had this) was an issue. Not allowed in just about any conference... now there are issues with budget/investment into the program and what value would a TV executive place on the media market, of which there are answers presented to the league office all the time from TV partners at CBS Sports and Fox Sports. The message I've been told time and time again from people NOT at UNM is that the league just doesn't see the value of adding them. This all may change that, though. MW still needs another fulltime member.

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They both (PAC-12 and MWC) need another full football member?

There is Hawaii, which is in the Big West for most sports.
 

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