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Mountain West looking to catch up to the American


Jonnyeagle

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1. Increase revenues

The MW is considered the second-best Group of 5 conference in the nation behind the American Athletic Conference, and generally, that's accurate even though the MW sees itself as the top non-power conference. The AAC has appeared in six New Year's Six bowls since the MW last did so and has had more success in the NCAA men's basketball tournament, including back-to-back Elite Eight berths by Houston, a 2021 Final Four team. The AAC has been better than the MW. But the AAC also is losing Cincinnati, Houston and UCF to the Big 12 in 2023, which means now is the time for the MW to overtake the AAC. The biggest difference between the two conferences is the annual budgets and size of the football stadiums, which is partially tied together (if you can fill those stadiums, the revenue explodes). Part of that advantage leaves the AAC when Cincinnati, Houston and UCF exit. But currently, the average AAC budget is about $10 million more than the average MW budget. That makes a difference. Growing the MW's revenue so its members are even with the new-look AAC — which will add Charlotte, FAU, North Texas, Rice, UAB and UTSA — is the top priority. The MW's annual financial distribution must increase.

Read more:  https://nevadasportsnet.com/news/reporters/seven-things-atop-gloria-nevarezs-to-do-list-as-she-becomes-mountain-west-commissioner

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1 hour ago, TripleGrad said:

MWC is going to come apart when the PAC(12-6) comes calling.

Agree.   The PAC will be in survival mode after the Big10 and Big12 finish shopping there.   The PAC will then have to look at the MWC and perhaps AAC to reload.   

The AAC could also be shopping for MWC leftovers.  Edge schools like Colo State, New Mexico, Air Force would add some additional markets to the AAC.

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7 minutes ago, NT80 said:

Agree.   The PAC will be in survival mode after the Big10 and Big12 finish shopping there.   The PAC will then have to look at the MWC and perhaps AAC to reload.   

The AAC could also be shopping for MWC leftovers.  Edge schools like Colo State, New Mexico, Air Force would add some additional markets to the AAC.

I think this needs to be done anyway. Be proactive, not reactive. If I'm the AAC commish I'm pitching to Co State and Air Force today. UNM as the alternate if the other backs out. 

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23 minutes ago, outoftown said:

The MW is hiring the second female commissioner of an FBS conference. Am I the only one who thinks that she can only be an improvement over the first one?

Be careful...this line of questioning upsets some posters on here--especially ones that post as if Judy McLeod is great at her job.

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13 hours ago, NorthTexasWeLove said:

I think this needs to be done anyway. Be proactive, not reactive. If I'm the AAC commish I'm pitching to Co State and Air Force today. UNM as the alternate if the other backs out. 

AAC already tried this and they declined...then we got the invite.

 

Yahoo Sports' Pete Thamel reported Friday that Air Force and Colorado State have elected to stay in the MWC. The AAC was pursuing both schools.

 

Link to article

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43 minutes ago, Victorygreen04 said:

AAC already tried this and they declined...then we got the invite.

 

Yahoo Sports' Pete Thamel reported Friday that Air Force and Colorado State have elected to stay in the MWC. The AAC was pursuing both schools.

 

Link to article

True. But with SDSU's departure, it changes the landscape a little. 

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14 hours ago, NT80 said:

Agree.   The PAC will be in survival mode after the Big10 and Big12 finish shopping there.   The PAC will then have to look at the MWC and perhaps AAC to reload.   

The AAC could also be shopping for MWC leftovers.  Edge schools like Colo State, New Mexico, Air Force would add some additional markets to the AAC.

 

One thing to worry about is upsetting the eastern schools. Adding CSU and AF would be good but they push the conference even more towards the west. Good for us, but it's making the east look a little sparse. I'm sure they would want someone like App. St. 

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8 hours ago, Green Otaku said:

 

One thing to worry about is upsetting the eastern schools. Adding CSU and AF would be good but they push the conference even more towards the west. Good for us, but it's making the east look a little sparse. I'm sure they would want someone like App. St. 

Oh no! Trying to please the Eastern schools - ECU - was how CUSA ended up with an extra bunch of (at the time) questionable schools. ECU left anyway and CUSA was stuck with too many lessor schools in the east. 

No chance ECU is leaving anytime soon as there's no where to go. Any additions should not be geographic but based on the strength of the support of the program. 

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8 hours ago, Green Otaku said:

 

One thing to worry about is upsetting the eastern schools. Adding CSU and AF would be good but they push the conference even more towards the west. Good for us, but it's making the east look a little sparse. I'm sure they would want someone like App. St. 

The growth seems to be as much "potential market" driven as success in football. Seems like addition growth would focus on the same.

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9 hours ago, NorthTexasWeLove said:

True. But with SDSU's departure, it changes the landscape a little. 

SDSU won't be the only MWC moveup to the PAC.   

Colo St and Air Force won't be so set on staying in the MWC if SDSU, Boise, UNLV, etc leave.   Offers depend on how many PAC schools leave for the BIG10 and Big12. 

Oregon, Wash, Cal, Stanford could be a BIG10 division with USC and UCLA.   The PAC media rights are expected to be well below the Big12's = more incentive for the four-corner schools to consider leaving too.

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32 minutes ago, Wag Tag said:

Time Zone is the main reason MWC Will not catch up to AAC. Worst case some type of association should  be formed between the two or wait and see who leaves.

Agree. 

PAC12, Big10, and ACC formed an alliance in August last year.  Then the Big10 decided to poach the PAC instead, lol. 

https://pac-12.com/article/2021/08/24/pac-12-acc-and-big-ten-announce-historic-alliance-0

 

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44 minutes ago, C Rod said:

Touché. I have rescinded my laughing emoji and replaced it with a Skeptical Eagle.  

UC Berkeley is the flagship after all. And if they don't get invited to the party too then that might be enough to hold UCLA back. USC will follow whatever the UC regents do so they're not all alone on the island most likely. 

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7 minutes ago, Coffee and TV said:

UC Berkeley is the flagship after all. And if they don't get invited to the party too then that might be enough to hold UCLA back. USC will follow whatever the UC regents do so they're not all alone on the island most likely. 

To me that is all this is.  Berkley is trying to leverage the Big 10 to include them as well.  My guess is they will ultimately achieve that.

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