Man it's not looking good for the Mountain West, Air Force and CSU are set to announce next week that they are leaving for the AAC! From what I have been reading they are not really not doing this for the money( which is not going to be much more than they are currently making), it's because they have knowledge that the Mountain West in a couple of more years will lose even more teams! Like one reporter said they are getting out in front of this before it crumbles! Word is Boise will get an invite to the Big 12 in a couple years and SDSU if not given an invite will look to go independent ( sounds crazy but they think it can work, that's how bad they want out!). UNLV needs to get out of this conference as well wither it's the Big 12, Pac 12, or even the AAC! They are saying that the MW has already reached out to Memphis and SMU and were told no thank you! MW is supposedly looking at one of 3 options (possibly a mix of these as well) when they end up losing the 4 schools mentioned above; 1) expand in to Texas market( but won't be the teams we all expect/want) North Texas, Rice, San Antonio, oh brother!!. 2) expand with Montana, Montana St., SDSU which would be moving up from Division 2 to Division 1. 3)make this a basketball conference by adding teams like Saint Mary's, New Mexico St., Gonzaga.
Montain West realignment, expansion?
- Thread starter 76RunninRebel
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I think if your UNLV you only don't go to the AAC if you think you have a really good chance of getting an invite from the Pac 12/Big 12. I just don't want to see UNLV stuck in this conference, like the reporter said the conference will survive and keep going but it will not nearly have as much power and presence in the college football word(think WAC, Conference USA, etc..) Its a sinking ship and UNLV needs to get off just like CSU and Air Force unless your like Boise and you know your invite is coming in a couple more years!
Unlv has new practice facilities, new stadium to play in, and gone woke by getting Hey Reb. They will get an invite somewhere IMO
Looks like the AAC tactic is to weaken it's biggest competitor(MW) and make it a non factor in football. Yes those 2 teams don't really bring a lot of value or excitement but they know when Big 12 expands the MW will lose even more teams! The ACC will definitely be the the 6th best conference when MW loses CSU, Air Force, Boise St., SDSU!
We need a leader like the AAC has not Craig Thompson! You need to be more aggressive and bold and be willing to take some chances!
But it's not totally Thompsons fault, it mostly falls on the school presidents! They make the decisions but Thompson is an advisor so both sides have to take blame for this future mess, not proactive enough!
Yeah I think if the Big 12 goes to 16 (currently 12) we have a good chance, they will definitely expand to 14 but there plan is to take Boise and Memphis. The pac 12 makes more sense geographically and academic wise but do they expand to 14, 16? I read somewhere that the Big 12 and Pac 12 have agreed on not taking any teams from each other on expansion, that only leaves the MW and AAC teams to be poached. Man we need UNLV to be in one of those conferences ASAP! We have everything already( facilities, acdamics, market size), all but a winning football team!
We do have a sitting president Keith Whitfield. The problem is I’m not sure he is a strong enough leader in helping Unlv take the next step.
Yeah, we have to cross our fingers and hope the school president really wants us to take the next level in college athletics! The Pac 12 would definitely be in line with taking your academics higher and the sports to boot! Come on Winfield, get in done ASAP!
You don't make all those investments (facilities, stadium, med school, tier 1 status research school, that's lots of money!) To be in a small time conference and only worry about basketball, you need football to succeed, if not what was the point in all this money being raised and invested! Academics and Athletics go hand in hand!
Other teams are getting in and we aren't getting in because it's about football. The conferences need teams that add viewership in order to demand more $$ or to at least keep their current $$ from a TV contract. They don't need a team that NOBODY watches. They need teams that at least have the hope of generating some interest and we aren't nearly there. They aren't worried about the Las Vegas market because they already own it. People from Las Vegas watch their teams not the Rebels.
We need to move forward with the understanding we will be in a lower tier conference and decide how to make the best of that reality.
We need to move forward with the understanding we will be in a lower tier conference and decide how to make the best of that reality.
If that’s the case Unlv shouldn’t have touched Hey Reb!
Snooze you lose. Make moves you give yourself a shot. Can’t be complacent, have to be aggressive and make things happen.
Pete Thamel
@PeteThamel
·
1h
Sources: Air Force and Colorado State will also be staying in the Mountain West. They had been heavily courted and considered the AAC, along with Boise State and San Diego State. All four schools will remain in the Mountain West.
If this is true sounds like the boosters of these schools made enough noise to not allow them to leave to the AAC. I read that the AD of CSU was really pushing for the move but he was getting heat from a lot of there money people! Same thing with Air Force, the administrations wants to do it but not the people that bankroll the programs.
Now is the time for the MW to take some action, expansion! With the current core you definitely have the 6th best conference, now let's make this an awesome basketball conference as well, go get Gonzaga, Wichita St., Tulsa (travel partner for Wichita)!
I would say also look at SMU so Tulsa would have a travel partner in football, now you can say we have the better conference, come join us and leave the AAC before it becomes an after thought!
MWWIRE.com " Now is the time for Craig Thompson and the Mountain West members to do something bold with this league and perhaps go after a weaker AAC or maybe try to get some basketball only schools to boost the overall profile." By Jeremy Mauss
Tweet from @MWCWire yesterday:
"The problem, of course, is not that anyone expects Craig Thompson to be a used car salesman like Mike Aresco, but he's needed to be *something* other than a void into which fanbases voice their many rightful criticisms."
I've heard him called many things, but never a 'void'. Man, how appropriate!
"The problem, of course, is not that anyone expects Craig Thompson to be a used car salesman like Mike Aresco, but he's needed to be *something* other than a void into which fanbases voice their many rightful criticisms."
I've heard him called many things, but never a 'void'. Man, how appropriate!
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If all of the MWC programs have truly backed off from the AAC, then it is time to quickly go on the offensive and poach their teams and build up the MWC before it is too late. I personally think the following programs would be good ones to consider going after:
Of the following programs, I think Memphis would be a huge get along with SMU. I think South Florida could be a good program, and I see Temple as a dark horse with the eastern market in Phily!
SMU is a program with big bucks, the attendance is a little weak at about 24K, they have been playing well for last few years and are currently 4-0
Temple they have mostly had winning seasons and average 30K per game. Out of the area but possible if MWC considers going nation wide. currently 2-2
Memphis - I have no clue why this team would be left out when Cinn, Houston and UCF left? 3 of the last 7 years they have had 10 or more wins with a winning record all 7 years, They average 39K which would put them first in the MWC, they have good facilities and a strong fan base.
South Florida - Had a few bad years but went 10-2 in 2017 and 11-2 in 2016 with a few really solid years mixed in with some bad years including the last two. They average 32K per year.
Navy - overall they have a team that has mostly had winning seasons with a few really great seasons mixed in over the last decade with a couple of those being 10+ winning seasons. Average 32K per game, would fit in good with AF since they both play each other on a regular basis.
Tulsa - Has been struggling the last 4-5 years, but like Navy also has some really good 10+ winning seasons over the last decade. Has under 19K attendance which will do nothing to help the MWC - This appears to be one of the weakest programs from the AAC.
Tulane - averages around 20K, does get the MWC into the deep south SEC country, mostly has losing seasons over the last 1-2 decades.
East Carolina - An up and down program which is mostly down recently, but still is able to average 33K per game.
Of the following programs, I think Memphis would be a huge get along with SMU. I think South Florida could be a good program, and I see Temple as a dark horse with the eastern market in Phily!
SMU is a program with big bucks, the attendance is a little weak at about 24K, they have been playing well for last few years and are currently 4-0
Temple they have mostly had winning seasons and average 30K per game. Out of the area but possible if MWC considers going nation wide. currently 2-2
Memphis - I have no clue why this team would be left out when Cinn, Houston and UCF left? 3 of the last 7 years they have had 10 or more wins with a winning record all 7 years, They average 39K which would put them first in the MWC, they have good facilities and a strong fan base.
South Florida - Had a few bad years but went 10-2 in 2017 and 11-2 in 2016 with a few really solid years mixed in with some bad years including the last two. They average 32K per year.
Navy - overall they have a team that has mostly had winning seasons with a few really great seasons mixed in over the last decade with a couple of those being 10+ winning seasons. Average 32K per game, would fit in good with AF since they both play each other on a regular basis.
Tulsa - Has been struggling the last 4-5 years, but like Navy also has some really good 10+ winning seasons over the last decade. Has under 19K attendance which will do nothing to help the MWC - This appears to be one of the weakest programs from the AAC.
Tulane - averages around 20K, does get the MWC into the deep south SEC country, mostly has losing seasons over the last 1-2 decades.
East Carolina - An up and down program which is mostly down recently, but still is able to average 33K per game.
I dunno. Getting "off their collective asses" is a pretty tall order for The Void and friends.
It could be that the teams we want don't want to travel west as much as they would have to. You put Wyoming, Boise , C. State and Utah State on the schedule and that has to add to travel costs. What's the payback for them? Not being critical - just wondering.
I think we could flip the tables on them for the next TV negotiations. Broader footprint with quality teams added, while further draining the AAC... yep. It may not be much more than they're getting now, but it wouldn't be the expected loss.
The big 12 100% should have gone for Memphis over UCF. A bigger market with a bigger Market ahre of the state/area. Sure getting into Florida is desirable, but they are pretty low on the totem pole despite their success.
Not to mention fits their elite basketball profile that the Big 12 carries.
Not to mention fits their elite basketball profile that the Big 12 carries.
Mwc isn't really a travel partners conference since there is so much distance between everybody. My preference is smu and memphis if they can figure that out. With Wichita st and gonzaga as the next key teams to add
Also ucf is very isolated. Memphis would actually help to bridge the west Virginia gap out there.
Until the Big 12 figures out who they want to invite in 4 years when Texas and Oklahoma officially leave I see everyone staying put trying to raise their profile for the invite and then it's another pick me pick me scenario. MWC could add the non football schools Gonzaga and WSU.
