Another Jon Wilner Update on MWC/CUSA Alliance

[Harry]

* Worst case: The Spartans get snubbed.

If the Mountain West picks Utah State,, reducing WAC football membership to six, it could set off a chain reaction that decimates the league:

Louisiana Tech would attempt to join Conference USA and, failing that, slide into the Sun Belt; newcomer Texas-San Antonio could follow that course, as well.

The WAC would be left with a maximum of five schools — an untenable position – and no prospects for expansion.

At that point, the Spartans would have to become an Independent (a difficult existence), downgrade to the Big Sky, drop football altogether or beg the Sun Belt for football-only admission.

(Former WAC commissioner Karl Benson in now running the Sun Belt, by the way.)

Read more: http://blogs.mercurynews.com/collegesports/2012/03/27/san-jose-state-football-the-future-is-soon/#more-24739

[El Paso Eagle]

Conspiracy mode

Whatever is left of the WAC will be merged into the Belt (if only for Football). Some deal will be arranged to “offset” any negative impact to the Sun Belt by “powers-that-be”. The reason, and call it the times, the fear of a Law Suit against the NCAA by the schools that are left without an “official” conference by no fault of their own.

[Mean Green 93-98]

Conspiracy mode

Whatever is left of the WAC will be merged into the Belt (if only for Football). Some deal will be arranged to “offset” any negative impact to the Sun Belt by “powers-that-be”. The reason, and call it the times, the fear of a Law Suit against the NCAA by the schools that are left without an “official” conference by no fault of their own.

How would the NCAA bear responsibility? The NCAA allows teams to play independently of any conference affiliation.

Edited March 27, 2012 by Mean Green 93-98

[El Paso Eagle]

Since when does a conspiracy theory have to connect all of the lines?

They do set the rules on numbers required to be “official”. Maybe the WAC stays with 5/6 teams.

[wardly]

if UTEP stays in CUSA, then the MWC will probably add SJSU and Utah State to get to 10 schools, with Idaho and NMSU being left out. they have never had 2 divisions and a conference championship game, and unless they add the Vandals and Aggies have no place to go for new members. on the other hand, CUSA has plenty of options. they can easily add UNT and FIU to replace SMU and UCF,and stop at 10. or, they could go to 12 or more. i think UNC@Charlotte will be invited because ECU and

Marshall are pushing hard for more east coast schools.after that, its anyones guess. the WAC needs at least 8 football programs to be an official NCAA conference, and i think whats left after the MWC raids them will seek membership in the Belt.just a guess.

[shaft]

Anybody else notice this guy's the only saying no merger?

While every other new sources says the full merger announcement is a month away pending the NCAA allowing semi-final conference playoffs.

[Harry]

Redirect?

[TIgreen01]

Redirect?

Merging the conferences or having them operate separately as divisions are the most likely options, it appears.

“At the end of the day, we might have twenty four institutions in separate divisions which each division having met the requirements of a conference,” Thompson said through a spokesman

WTH? Not merging into a conference, but an alliance of conferences?? I know it's not what is intended, but that sounds a lot like a new subdivision of schools within FBS. I'd hope they tread carefully there.

Also, the BCS meetings are going on this week. I still think a HUGE, unspoken, part of this is waiting to see what is decided with BCS Auto qualifiers. If they do away with them, then what happens to the Big East? I think it's entirely possible that SMU and UCF stay committed, but what about Houston? Maybe all 3 care about the boost to their basketball? All 3 could bail and return to CUSA. I think Boise and SDSU immediately back out and return to the MWC if the Big East doesn't include an AQ carrot.

[NThomas]

if UTEP stays in CUSA, then the MWC will probably add SJSU and Utah State to get to 10 schools, with Idaho and NMSU being left out. they have never had 2 divisions and a conference championship game, and unless they add the Vandals and Aggies have no place to go for new members. on the other hand, CUSA has plenty of options. they can easily add UNT and FIU to replace SMU and UCF,and stop at 10. or, they could go to 12 or more. i think UNC@Charlotte will be invited because ECU and Marshall are pushing hard for more east coast schools.after that, its anyones guess. the WAC needs at least 8 football programs to be an official NCAA conference, and i think whats left after the MWC raids them will seek membership in the Belt.just a guess.

I think part of this "alliance" is just that, an understanding between both the MWC and C-USA to make sure they're not in competition with each other, but in the same position as non-AQ conferences. Regardless if AQ status is retained, the existing "Big 6" will still have better contracts with better bowl games with better tie-ins.

The cannibalization of the Big East for the ACC's benefit is most likely what both the MWC and C-USA are trying to avoid with each other. Expanding the MWC's footprint back east into Texas (and possibly Oklahoma) would come at the expense of prospective and existing C-USA members in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana. C-USA will maintain it's hold east of the Mississippi River.

[stebo]

I would bet that the alliance would be a temporary fix. All of the worries with merging are about losing units to departing teams and giving up the millions in exit fees. How do you get around that? You have an "alliance" for a few years to collect exit fees and units and then merge when there is no longer a significant monetary loss. It stabilizes the situation and establishes a relationship so that they don't raid one another. It also allows the conferences to negotiate television as a group rather than on their own.

I think the alliance is better for NT. Merging would give both conferences stability and plenty of time to wait for the expansion. If they are just entering an alliance for the first few years, both conferences will need to reload to replace all the departing teams.