The Pac-10 made some news this week when it announced it will “seriously” consider expansion in the near future.
And Mountain West Conference schools are in that mix, along with others.
Here is an interesting article in The Salt Lake Tribune about it http://www.sltrib.com/byucougars/ci_14377991
What do you all think about this, and the possible effects it could have on the Mountain West?
If you were MWC Commissioner Craig Thompson, what do you do if the MWC loses some teams or even if it doesn’t?
If I’m Thompson I don’t do anything. There is no guarantee for BCS inclusion if the MWC expands now. Obviously if the MWC loses some teams it will need to do something.
But this talk has generated a lot of thoughts and opinions. I would like to hear yours.
Loading ...
It would be hard to lose BYU or Utah to the PAC 10. I think that the recent exposure both schools bring to the MWC would be hard to replace. The conference really needs to make a run at getting Boise State and Fresno State. Do it now and make the MWC a serious BCS Conference that both BYU or Utah will want to leave.
Good comment David,
From everything I am seeing and reading the Pac-10 won’t take BYU, but Utah seems like a hot item.
But if all this goes down and the MWC loses a team or multiple teams, it must do something. Boise State makes sense and getting maybe a Fresno State could as well. I think if expansion happens the MWC will be OK but the WAC could really end up being hit hard after all the dominos fall.
Thanks for the comment!
RG
The best choices for Pac-10 expansion would be Nevada and Nevada-Las Vegas. Both schools are actually in the Pacific Time Zone, and their relative closeness to the other schools would be beneficial and conducive to the conference’s tradition of and emphasis on academic excellence focus. The other schools being mentioned are probably going to be given serious consideration, but they all have serious shortcomings to overcome in the process. Remember the conference’s history in taking Arizona and Arizona State in the mid 1970s. Another scenario which may not be getting much attention would be for San Diego State and Hawaii to be chosen, something that would be a shocker but would be the best public relations move the conference could achieve.
Reading MWC commisioners comments on ESPN website about league expansions. Why risk losing traditional rivals. Beef up our conference now by adding Boise State and one other team with good market exposure. How about Houston or Colorado. Yes its easier said than done, but it might be enough to push the conference over the top and make it a automatic qualifier in the BCS. Colorado might have a chaance of making it to the big game and that would develop into a great rival, Houston gets a shot, and Boise is the catalyst to make it happen for the MWC. I would love to drive to Laramie and watch any of those games. Why would Utah, BYU or TCU consider leaving the conference with that scenario??
The MWC has been progressive in a lot of things since its inception: its own TV network, instrant replay for football, etc. Perhaps expansion is something that should be added to the list. I like your reasoning. You are the first to mention Colorado to the MWC. That makes sense in a lot of way, but I don’t think Colorado would turn down current BCS money for “potential” BCS money by joining the MWC.
I guess the fear in my mind is if the MWC expands it doesn’t guarantee it will be part of the BCS. Yes, your scenario and several others out there would make you think it would be a no-brainer that the league would be included. And maybe it would be.
But if it wasn’t, the MWC is left sharing its TV and other revenue with more schools and still looking at the outside in. That may be a risk it will have to take. I guess I would like to see some sort of guarantee or even something in writing from the BCS that if the MWC does this, this and this, they’re in. Maybe that’s asking too much and even thinking too simple, but I would hate to see the schools spread too thin without a just reward.
Great comment and idea!
RG