Nevada, Fresno State both accept offers to leave WAC and join Mountain West
The University of Nevada and Fresno State both accepted invitations to join the Mountain West Conference on Wednesday night. The schools announced their plans at concurrent press conferences.
Leaving the WAC could be costly for Nevada and Fresno State. According to the Las Vegas Sun, the league schools agreed a week ago to sign a five-year agreement that would force leaving members to pay a $5 million buyout.
Fresno State school president John Welty acknowledged that the buyout was in the range of what's owed.
"We're going to have to work out the specifics and the amounts, and that's one of the things that has yet to be resolved," Welty said. "We are going to realize additional revenue. Over a period of time we will finance the buyout. At the same time, we will save some costs."
However, the Reno Gazette Journal reported that Nevada was the lone school that did not sign the agreement, citing to multiple people with knowledge of the situation.
The Mountain West extended the offers amid reports that Brigham Young is considering leaving the Mountain West to become an independent in football and play all other sports within the WAC. The school has not confirmed those reports, saying in a statement only that it is weighing all options.
BYU has looked at a possible move since its biggest rival, Utah, announced it would leave the Mountain West for the Pacific 10.
The move changes the landscape for the Mountain West, which loses Utah to the Pac-10 next season in addition to the possible departure of BYU. Earlier this summer, Boise State announced plans to join the conference.
Should BYU leave, the additions of Fresno State and Nevada would grow the league to 10 teams. Nevada and Fresno State's moves would also hurt BYU's move to football independence and the WAC for other sports.
The WAC is now reduced to six schools - Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana Tech, New Mexico State, San Jose State and Utah State. Eight schools are required to be considered a football conference. As a result, it is possible that BYU could explore joining the West Coast Conference for all non-football sports.
-- Thomas O'Toole
The University of Nevada and Fresno State both accepted invitations to join the Mountain West Conference on Wednesday night. The schools announced their plans at concurrent press conferences.
Leaving the WAC could be costly for Nevada and Fresno State. According to the Las Vegas Sun, the league schools agreed a week ago to sign a five-year agreement that would force leaving members to pay a $5 million buyout.
Fresno State school president John Welty acknowledged that the buyout was in the range of what's owed.
"We're going to have to work out the specifics and the amounts, and that's one of the things that has yet to be resolved," Welty said. "We are going to realize additional revenue. Over a period of time we will finance the buyout. At the same time, we will save some costs."
However, the Reno Gazette Journal reported that Nevada was the lone school that did not sign the agreement, citing to multiple people with knowledge of the situation.
The Mountain West extended the offers amid reports that Brigham Young is considering leaving the Mountain West to become an independent in football and play all other sports within the WAC. The school has not confirmed those reports, saying in a statement only that it is weighing all options.
BYU has looked at a possible move since its biggest rival, Utah, announced it would leave the Mountain West for the Pacific 10.
The move changes the landscape for the Mountain West, which loses Utah to the Pac-10 next season in addition to the possible departure of BYU. Earlier this summer, Boise State announced plans to join the conference.
Should BYU leave, the additions of Fresno State and Nevada would grow the league to 10 teams. Nevada and Fresno State's moves would also hurt BYU's move to football independence and the WAC for other sports.
The WAC is now reduced to six schools - Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana Tech, New Mexico State, San Jose State and Utah State. Eight schools are required to be considered a football conference. As a result, it is possible that BYU could explore joining the West Coast Conference for all non-football sports.
-- Thomas O'Toole
