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UTEP to join 16 team MWC (speculation)

KaneFan29

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Jan 8, 2018
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https://president.nmsu.edu/activity-report-march-3-march-9/

"While at the WAC Basketball Tournament, I met with the Presidents and Athletic Directors of the WAC schools to discuss business as well as the challenges facing the Conference regarding membership. The WAC is initiating an aggressive membership campaign. Commissioner Jeff Hurd said “something was going to happen and happen soon” regarding conference alignments and realignments. One rumor was the Mountain West would become a 16-member conference with two-8 member divisions. NMSU could come into play as a new member, along with UTEP. Another uncertainty facing athletics is the ongoing investigation of NCAA basketball violations. There is also a special committee analyzing the “transfer” issue in collegiate basketball."
 
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But didn’t The MWC schools leave because of the league was too big a deluded? If anything The WAC is just trying to do anything to survive.
 
There are currently 12 MWC football schools and 11 MWC basketball schools. Adding Gonzaga, would give them an even 12 football and 12 basketball. I really hope that they don't stop there, but I could see them simply adding Gonzaga stopping at 12.

I would love to see them go to 14, which means that they would add 2 more in addition to Gonzaga. I kinda doubt they would go back to 16 when that was the reason why the MWC schools left to begin with. At the end of the day, I don't care how it is done, I just hope that Senter and company can get us in the MWC.
 
BYU will be in the mix if they go past 12.
If the MWC adds Gonzaga, there will be big pressure on BYU to rejoin the MWC since the WCC will be gutted without Gonzaga. The MWC should insist BYU join for all sports, including football; would BYU give up their independent status in football to join Gonzaga with the old MWC schools in basketball?

Adding BYU for all sports would put the MWC at 13 football schools. If they want balance, they can either kick out Hawaii and go back to 12 (the pie divided fewer ways) or they can add one more to make it an even 14. Let's hope UTEP can be that 14th, but we really have some work to do.
 
I had seen that BYU makes about 6 million per year from their ESPN contract. MW teams make about 1.2 per year. Boise gets a special deal and makes closer to 2 per year. When it’s time to renegotiate that amount might drop into $800,000 range.

Would BYU really want to lose that large amount of money? Only way is if their tv deal drops under 2 million per year then they’ll have incentives to join a G5 league.
 
I had seen that BYU makes about 6 million per year from their ESPN contract. MW teams make about 1.2 per year. Boise gets a special deal and makes closer to 2 per year. When it’s time to renegotiate that amount might drop into $800,000 range.

Would BYU really want to lose that large amount of money? Only way is if their tv deal drops under 2 million per year then they’ll have incentives to join a G5 league.

ESPN is losing subscribers left and right to cord cutting. Byus next TV deal will be for much less.
 
I had seen that BYU makes about 6 million per year from their ESPN contract. MW teams make about 1.2 per year. Boise gets a special deal and makes closer to 2 per year. When it’s time to renegotiate that amount might drop into $800,000 range.

Would BYU really want to lose that large amount of money? Only way is if their tv deal drops under 2 million per year then they’ll have incentives to join a G5 league.
Well, if Boise St. can get a special deal then so can BYU. Texas gets a special deal in the Big 12 and they have their own network (Longhorn Network). BYU already has their own network (BYUtv). I'm sure the MWC would let them strike their own deal with ESPN if they can bring them back into the conference.

BYU isn't just interested in revenue; they're interested in exposure. BYU athletics is a vessel to promote the Church. If Gonzaga leaves for the MWC, BYU isn't going to get the same kind of exposure in the WCC. If they join Gonzaga in the MWC, though, that conference (which is already a strong basketball conference) will suddenly become a powerhouse. BYU would want to be part of that. The MWC shouldn't flinch; they should insist that BYU join in football, too. They can negotiate the details.
 
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I had seen that BYU makes about 6 million per year from their ESPN contract. MW teams make about 1.2 per year. Boise gets a special deal and makes closer to 2 per year. When it’s time to renegotiate that amount might drop into $800,000 range.

Would BYU really want to lose that large amount of money? Only way is if their tv deal drops under 2 million per year then they’ll have incentives to join a G5 league.

BYU'S issue is UTAH. When the utes left the MWC for the Pac-12 little brother grew up and blew by big brother. BYU went independent so they wouldn't have to play in a lowly g5 conference while UTAH was in the PAC-12. BYU will be able to keep a pretty healthy tv deal. There are Mormons everywhere and they get pretty good tv ratings and bring a national audience. The Mormans come out in big numbers around the country to see them play. I can't see them playing in a league with Utah st. That would be a downgrade and a kick in the teeth i dont think they're willing to take. I think their option of last resort is to join hawaii in the Big West. They are one of the only schools who can be successful as an independent.
 
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I can't see them playing in a league with Utah st. That would be a downgrade and a kick in the teeth i dont think they're willing to take. I think their option of last resort is to join hawaii in the Big West.
And the Big West wouldn't be a downgrade? Turn down playing basketball in the MWC with Utah St. (and Gonzaga, and UNM, and Nevada, and UNLV, and SDSU, and oh Utah St. really isn't that bad when it comes to basketball) so they can instead take their toys and go play with Hawaii against UC-Irvine and UC-Riverside and UC-Santa Barbara? Again, the LDS Church is also looking for exposure through their flagship university. I don't think the Big West fits their needs.

If ESPN wants all those Mormon bucks, and the MWC wants BYU football back (even if BYU strikes their own deal, having them back in the conference will raise the overall profile of the MWC, so it's a win-win), I'm sure BYU and ESPN and the MWC can negotiate terms that are beneficial to all parties.
 
Apparently La Tech fans saying they are one of those four teams. So UTEP, NMSU, La Tech, and BYU?
 
LaTech??????? Lol

That's as dumb as beting against the Undertaker at Wrestlemania.
Not really. They are a solid all around program. Have history with a lot of those schools from their days in the WAC.
 
Only the Bushwhackers would take LaTech over UNT, Rice, or UTSA. Ruston over Dallas, Houston, or San Antonio? Not likely.
 
Only the Bushwhackers would take LaTech over UNT, Rice, or UTSA. Ruston over Dallas, Houston, or San Antonio? Not likely.
It takes two to dance. UTSA already declined a bid to the MW and instead picked CUSA. The UNT fan base seems content in CUSA. RICE did express interest last year in the MW. So maybe it’s UTEP, NMSU, La Tech, and RICE. Houston is a good bridge between El Paso and Ruston.
 
I think some of you are missing a lot of brain cells or just don't know what you're talking about.

You think their fans would not want to play with Utah St, but would with UC-Riverside, UC-San Diego, Cal St Bakersfield, and Cal St Northridge? In some of the smallest gyms in D1? The Big West is a joke.

The MWC will bring along BYU when it wants. BYU has no power, despite what you guys might think. Losing Gonzaga is a deathblow to the WCC and to BYU.

BYU is a mediocre football program and their ratings on non-existent thanks to their independence failure.

The MWC will take Gonzaga and BYU will do all it can to come crawling back because they have no other choice.

You're just ignorant. BYU could care less about their olympic sports and basketball. All of their moves have been in response to Utah going to the Pac 12. They don't care how small the gyms are they play in most schools don't. They care about keeping up the perception they they on an equal playing with Utah. Being in a conference with Utah State would be the worst thing ever at BYU. To replace Utah with Utah State as a conference foe would be unfathomable to most BYU fans. This is all about their football program it always has and always will be. They will sacrifice every other sport to keep BYU independent in football.
 
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The WAC crumbled because of crappy teams and the insane amount of money associated with travel costs. 4 time zones and 6433 miles would separate La Tech from Hawaii. We’d be jumping from one sinking ship to another.
 
LaTech??????? Lol

That's as dumb as beting against the Undertaker at Wrestlemania.

Now if this happens KaneFan29, are we looking at a Mega Powers/4 Horsemen type of union? Or would you say it’s more of a Brooklyn Brawler tag teaming with Virgil scenario?
 
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Maybe tv executives are whispering in the ears of the MW. “You guys are about to drop in tv revenue but add teams XWYZ and you’ll remain the same.”
 
For them to make the same money and add 5 more teams that would mean the conference would get 6 million more per year for their TV deal. Is that even possible?
 
Ok all this is stupid now. La Tech fans now retracted statement and said it was a joke. Smh. Wake me up when we are in the MW.
 
Now if this happens KaneFan29, are we looking at a Mega Powers/4 Horsemen type of union? Or would you say it’s more of a Brooklyn Brawler tag teaming with Virgil scenario?

UTEP to the MWC is Steamboat vs Savage at WM3. LaTech joining the MWC is Kane beating Jim Powers at a Raw dark match.
 
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You're just ignorant. BYU could care less about their olympic sports and basketball.
You could've fooled me. Growing up with the UTEP-BYU rivalry in the '80s, BYU fans always seemed pretty passionate about basketball. 29 NCAA Tournament appearances overall. I guess it was all for show.
 
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A few years ago CUSA was going to merge with MW, does anyone remember that? It never happened, and I doubt MW would want to recreate the old WAC but what do I know. Should this happen and we pick up NMSU/UNM as conference games, that could help us with attendance and to schedule some different out of schedule teams. Go Miners!
 
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But didn’t The MWC schools leave because of the league was too big a deluded? If anything The WAC is just trying to do anything to survive.

I always felt like Utah totally suckered the other teams and used them as a springboard to eventually screw them over and defect to the Pac 10 (12).
 
If....IF....this does happen, according to this write up, it does not appear to be in BYU's favor; especially if Gonzaga does come with St. Mary's. The WCC will go the way of the WAC for basketball with BYU the only "premier" team in WCC (boy that hurt my mouth) just like NMSU is in the WAC. Grand Canyon's name was thrown in mix but I just don't see it happening for them joining.

I just don't see any of this happening within next three years at least.

https://www.vanquishthefoe.com/2018...-mountain-west-conference-relaignment-details
 
Why would anyone post this.... I thought this was some breaking news that I missed and got excited for a second ....
 
Why would anyone post this.... I thought this was some breaking news that I missed and got excited for a second ....

It's the the Craig Thompson affect. I read an article today about this topic and apparently he's kind of notorious for this.
 
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