UNLV and Air Force have decided to remain in the Mountain West conference, despite attempts from the Pac-12 and American Athletic Conference to poach them. The Mountain West offered financial incentives to its remaining members, including signing bonuses of over $20 million, to keep them from leaving. This decision comes after the Mountain West lost five members to the Pac-12, including Utah State.
Commissioner Gloria Nevarez was pushing for a multiple-year grant of rights to bind schools together and to the conference through media rights, which gave the remaining schools a chance to reconsider leaving. The conference is expected to receive around $100 million in exit fees from the departing schools, helping to keep the Mountain West alive.
The Pac-12 is also suing the Mountain West over $55 million in poaching penalties. The Mountain West still needs at least one more member to be recognized as a conference by the NCAA and College Football Playoff, while the Pac-12’s expansion plans have hit some roadblocks.
The Mountain West could potentially add another member while the Pac-12 looks towards schools like Texas State for its expansion. Overall, the landscape of college sports continues to shift as conferences make moves to strengthen their positions.
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