And in one of the more ridiculous tweets…
New MWC Possibility:
- Thread starter nattybry
- Start date
I’ve got no problem at all. I know UTEP doesn’t travel well BUT Albuquerque, and Las Vegas are short trips. Costs aside, no one’s going to complain about traveling to Hawaii.
We could be losing out on a Pac invite, but a lot would have to happen for that to happen. UTEP is making the right choice here.
Which 2026 Schedule is better
MWC- 13 Games
@Oklahoma
Texas Southern
@Michigan
NMSU
@Air Force
UNM
UNLV
@ Hawaii
@San Jose State
Texas State
Austin Peay
@ Wyoming
Nevada
CUSA-12 games
@Oklahoma
Texas Southern
@Michigan
@San Jose State
NMSU
@Delaware
@ Sam Houston
Missouri State
Kennesaw State
@ Louisiana Tech
@ Liberty
Western Kentucky
MWC- 13 Games
@Oklahoma
Texas Southern
@Michigan
NMSU
@Air Force
UNM
UNLV
@ Hawaii
@San Jose State
Texas State
Austin Peay
@ Wyoming
Nevada
CUSA-12 games
@Oklahoma
Texas Southern
@Michigan
@San Jose State
NMSU
@Delaware
@ Sam Houston
Missouri State
Kennesaw State
@ Louisiana Tech
@ Liberty
Western Kentucky
It's not about Texas State. UTEP has lots of alumni and other fans (somehow!) in San Antonio and Austin that would put butts in seats and eyeballs on TV to watch our Miners.
I said in another post, that the quality of football teams is probably about equal. Just from a logical and historical perspective, the MWC schedule is nicer. Especially since UTEP has been tagging along in CUSA for the last 10 years, while everyone else left.
Actually, UTEP fans travel extraordinarily well despite our history of futility.
Sure, but that won’t do anything nationally. If more UTEP fans attend those games in San Marcos, that only benefits Texas St’s pocket book.
Even flying on southwest (WN) or American (AA) or united out of ELP
Air Force academy, WN has flights to Denver along with united (connect via AA)
Reno WN/AA connect in Dallas or Houston/Denver (united)
LAS WN direct (or allegiant/frontier, but it's not daily from what i remember)
ABQ drive
San Jose connect on WN/AA in PHX or LAS
Hawaii, just a red eye back to DFW/IAH and/or connect via WN in LAS/PHX
And UNLV plays at Alleigant Stadium. Thats a direct flight and a nice weekend getaway in Vegas. That’s an easy trip.
FWIW, I spent some time on the UNLV board tonight and their fans are warm to us joining the MWC. Not excited, but receptive. And I agree with one suggestion I read on their board that the MWC go all-in -- generally speaking -- in Texas and bring in UTEP, Texas State, and Sam Houston and really box out the PAC12. I kinda like that idea.
Thats one thing I’ve never done but I would definitely think about doing Vegas or Hawaii for a game.
It helps TV viewership numbers which is way more important.
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Be honest, the La Tech rivalry was good for UTEP. WKU strengthened UTEP's schedule almost every year as did Liberty and MTSU basketball games were good many years.
However, those MW old foes will sell tickets, and that's what you want.
I think it makes a difference to an extent. I mean it's a better TV market than most of the CUSA markets. To me the biggest thing they bring as far as their area is the recruiting hot bed that they're in.
MW has flirted with UTEP then hours before homecoming they say "I gotta another date".
Our games at Texas State will have UTEP fans too
Yuup. Definitely recruiting that area is a big deal with their inclusion.
Supposedly in 2011 when the MWC and CUSA were talking merger.
It might not be popular here, but add NMSU, and then you have two "travel" partners for the non-football sports. Adding the 3 Texas schools may be even better for the MWC; you block the Pac from Texas.
If the talks are a series of what ESPN is saying, what is also positive is that I would believe that the UTEP administration has made commitments to invest in the programs.
But that’s two different things. They didn’t merge because of anything UTEP related. They didn’t merge because they would be dissolving one conference and losing auto bids in all conference sports.
Yeah but it was rumored that UTEP was invited around that time and turned it down.
It will be nice to not play in the high school gyms that most cusa teams play in and against schools that have actual fans. Excited to revive the Nevada rivalry as well as UNM and the old WAC foes.
That is still not the same as the MWC turning them down
Who says they don’t travel well? To your examples, I’ve been to UTEP football games in both Albuquerque and Las Vegas and every time sat with a ton of UTEP fans.
I wonder if we were the first choice then Texas St? Or did Texas St turn them down and we were the second choice? Were we invited together? If Texas St doesn't join, do they add NMSU? Do they add NMSU regardless?
I can't imagine UTEP taking a long time for the decision. I think that we will accept the invitation at some point tomorrow or Wednesday at the latest unless we blow it somehow.
I can't imagine UTEP taking a long time for the decision. I think that we will accept the invitation at some point tomorrow or Wednesday at the latest unless we blow it somehow.
That’s the most I’ve ever heard someone say Utep is actually important!!! Felt Nice to hear!!
I think I read 2 million somewhere, also have read 800k in 2 payments
One note: the Hawaii exemption allows teams to play a 13th game, an extra home game when you travel to the island to offset travel cost
Seen both, so either make good use of our money games and/or (less likely) get 40k in every remaining game to lessen the burden
A lot. A ton of Ex Pasoens and UTEP alumni in the Austin and San Antonio metro area.
There's something funky about the leaks. Normally you keep things quiet until the deal is done. Leaking happens when you're trying to provoke a reaction. Did it come from UTEP or MWC? I think the Tx St leak came from MWC.
Possibilities:
1. Sometimes a leak is just a leak.
2. MWC leaks both TX St and UTEP in the hopes of causing each other to panic that they'll be left out and sign now and not hold out for PAC.
3. UTEP leaks the story to try to goose PAC into making a move -- idea being that PAC would see the possibility that they get frozen out of Texas and offer one or both.
4. some scheme either too devious or too stupid for me to think about it right now
Possibilities:
1. Sometimes a leak is just a leak.
2. MWC leaks both TX St and UTEP in the hopes of causing each other to panic that they'll be left out and sign now and not hold out for PAC.
3. UTEP leaks the story to try to goose PAC into making a move -- idea being that PAC would see the possibility that they get frozen out of Texas and offer one or both.
4. some scheme either too devious or too stupid for me to think about it right now
F nmsu. This is a business. We must look out for ourselves. We need that OOC game. They are perfect. Helps with scheduling bball too. So NO to nmsu.
Good point, that or the PAC told UTEP, we are not offering, like they did to Hawaii
