Speculate on Wichita St and UTEP to MWC.... just for the hell of it

[MinerInWisconsin]

I'm sure you are all aware that Wichita St, strong basketball school, is studying the idea of bringing back football. They dropped it in the 1980's.

Their prez said back in Oct/Nov that they would conclude the study sometime in 2016 and that they would only bring it back at the FBS level without any consideration of going to FCS. Obviously they would have a few transition years as Charlotte has gone thru in C-USA. Now the last couple of days, their prez has tweeted pictures of possible helmet looks and marching band uniforms. Sounds like they are getting close to a decision. He also stated back when he first told the world about this study that this would require going to a new conference. It's also known that they are now unhappy in the MVC since Creighton left. They have contacted the MWC in recent years but without football it was a no go.

We all know that recently UTEP and Rice contacted the MWC about possible membership with no immediate success. Put the WSU situation and UTEP's desire to be in the MWC together and it makes total sense to me, not that I'm bias or anything, for the MWC to bring in both WSU and UTEP to have an even 14 in football. WSU would be a boost to the MWC basketball and most years UTEP would be too.

So what do you think? Is this a viable possibility? Some non-UTEP fans have offered this as a possibility on the realignment board.

 

[utep2step]

CUSA still wants their big exit fee and the prez has said "no"....twice. There is no scenario that will change this fans mind for at least the next two years.

 

[FiliUTEP]

How much is the exit fee? I would donate for and exit fee so utep can go to Mountain West or American conference.

 

[Minerforlife]

CUSA still wants their big exit fee and the prez has said "no"....twice. There is no scenario that will change this fans mind for at least the next two years.

They had reasons for turning the MWC down. I dont agree with them but looking back i understand the rationale. Money was not a factor then and wont be a factor now. Everyone from the pres down wants UTEP out of cusa. They already have boosters committed to paying the entrance fees.

 

[Voice of the Mosquito]

Still think our target should be the AAC....The MWC faces the same problems it has always had from the Skyline Six and Old WAC days. Some schools are isolated like Wyo and Utah State, some are in urban areas where finding fan support is highly competitive like SDSU and San Jose and finally many schools in MWC have to recruit outside their region. More than half the MWC schools are highly dependent on west coast recruiting for almost all sports. True there is a lot of talent in California but you are competing against your conference mates a lot of the time. The AAC is much more diversified with members located in Texas, Florida, Ohio etc. The MWC TV markets are small and bowl picture for them is unsettled a bit. What the MWC does offer is good competition in most sports with good fan support, historical rivals for UTEP and a few venues that Miner fans would travel too, like UNM or UNLV. All of this is moot of course because no offer has ever been extended UTEP and I don't think they have ever been serious about adding us. It is a funny coincidence that when our (CUSA) TV contracts are being negotiated they "explore" adding members ie. CUSA members. I don't think exit fees, money or agendas has anything to do with us not being invited. I think our plan is get football to the highest level we can and then see where or who we could parley that into a better conference affiliation. Nobody knows how this conference system is going to be altered. As far as Wichita State I think football coming back will be a very long term endeavor for them and this conference shake up is going to hit before they get it off the ground.