Commish: WAC stable,no reason to expand

MeanGreen61 · July 27, 2006

http://www.idahostatesman.com/apps/pbcs.dl.../607270376/1037

Commish: WAC is stable, expansion isn't necessary

Idaho Statesman

The Idaho Statesman | Edition Date: 07-27-2006

WAC commissioner Karl Benson said nine member schools for the conference are better than 10 — at least for now.

At his annual breakfast address before the media as a part of the conference's football preview, Benson said expansion is not on the horizon for the WAC.

"I think we're entering, finally, a period of stability," Benson said Wednesday at the Red Lion Hotel in Downtown Boise. "I think that's a positive. We don't anticipate that there is anything looming out there."

A nine-team league is considered the perfect amount for football because that number yields a schedule where each team can play every other team in the conference and have an equal number of home and away games.

But nine is a logistical nightmare for scheduling in sports such as basketball and volleyball, where teams play each other twice during the season.

"Nine has been a challenge and 10 would probably be a better number," Benson said. "We understand there are advantages and disadvantages of both."

Two non-football playing schools — Denver and Utah Valley State — are the schools most commonly mentioned for adding a non-football school to the conference.

"We are not in any type of expansion mode," Benson sad. "We're aware of our surroundings and aware of what's out there."

Benson also said he isn't sure how long the period of stability will last. He pointed out that since 1990 only two conferences — the Pac-10 and Ivy League — haven't had membership changes. He said he wouldn't be surprised, should expansion arise in the future, if the new school came from the Big Sky Conference. Current WAC schools Boise State, Idaho and Nevada all are former Big Sky members.

"People out there are asking 'What's the next Big Sky school capable of moving?' " Benson said. "It's very speculative and we all want to talk. Do I expect that somewhere down the road there is a next Big Sky member who is ready to make the move? I think the answer is probably yes."