Mountain West goes it alone, nixes relationship with C-USA

The two conferences agreed in October to merge, but after running into difficulties forming an alliance, they tried to create some sort of working relationship.

That didn’t pan out, either.

So Mountain West commissioner Craig Thompson, speaking Wednesday morning at the conference football media days at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, said the deal is off – for now at least.

He said several factors played into the split, such as different TV contracts, scheduling issues and C-USA’s expansion to three schools in the Eastern time zone.

“The decision was made several months ago – take care of your own,” Thompson said. “Our people said, ‘We’re not really interested in flying to Miami and Charlotte (N.C.) and Norfolk, Va., no offense to those three institutions. Nor were they interested in flying to Fresno (Calif.) and Logan, Utah, etc.

“We both determined that the best scheme was to simply repopulate and stay Eastern- and Western-based leagues.”

Thompson wasn’t optimistic talks would resume with C-USA.

“It would’ve been about a 20-hour surgery to make sure the body parts worked,” he said. “It was just hard.”

For the 2012-13 academic year, the Mountain West will be a 10-member football league and nine in other sports. UNR and Fresno State join as full members, and Hawaii begins play in football only. Texas Christian left for the Big 12 Conference.

Boise State and San Diego State leave to play football in the Big East Conference next year – their other sports head elsewhere – while San Jose State and Utah State will join the Mountain West.

Thompson said the conference will remain at 10 football members for the foreseeable future, and the league told Idaho and New Mexico State it wasn’t interested in adding those schools.

But the Mountain West could consider adding Texas schools, such as Texas-El Paso, if the conference changes its stance on expansion. Outside forces could push the Mountain West to take another look at expansion.

“Can we all sit here today and (ask), ‘Is the Big 12 done? Is the Big East solidified,’ ” Thompson said. “I don’t know where it’s all going.”

As for Boise State and San Diego State, hopes aren’t completely shot that they are forever gone. Thompson said they could be welcomed back if their plans in the Big East don’t work out.

Both schools are waiting to see what kind of TV money will come from the new Big East contract, and Boise State hasn’t secured a home for its other sports. The Big West Conference is expected to vote next month on whether to admit the Broncos as a partial member.

Boise State took its decision to leave the Mountain West down to the final day, June 30.

“It was a very hard decision for Boise State,” Thompson said.

But Thompson said he learned a long time ago about the importance of looking ahead rather than back, and that’s what he intends to do.

He spoke hypothetically about many issues, but offered no guesswork on what kind of conference the Mountain West should represent.

“We’re a Western-based league,” Thompson said. “It’s going to be exciting because we’re getting back to a place that we’re comfortable, and getting back to playing familiar opponents and people we know.”

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65.