Seven Mountain West schools have decided to remain in the league despite overtures from the Pac-12 to lure more teams. The remaining schools, including Air Force, Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, UNLV, Wyoming, and Hawaii (a partial member), signed a memorandum of understanding to stay in the Mountain West conference. The league will need to add two more schools to meet NCAA requirements by 2028. The teams leaving the Mountain West will pay an estimated $100 million in exit fees. UNLV confirmed it stands to receive $10-14 million in payments over six years, starting in 2026.
The Mountain West will distribute the exit fees among the remaining schools, with Air Force and UNLV receiving the most at 24.5%. UNLV chose to remain in the Mountain West after evaluating other options, including potential overtures from the Pac-12. The conference will continue to work towards adding new members to reach the required eight-team threshold by 2026. The league will also benefit from grants of media rights from member institutions from 2026 to 2032. The Mountain West Commissioner emphasized the stability and clarity provided by these agreements in a rapidly evolving landscape of intercollegiate athletics.
Wyoming’s athletic director expressed confidence in the conference’s future amidst conference realignment, while UNLV’s athletic director highlighted the increased revenues and necessary flexibility in pursuing future goals by staying in the Mountain West. The decisions made by these schools will shape the landscape of college athletics in the coming years.
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