[JK37]

The only way I think an LU fan would be thrilled with a move to the PAC would be if they already live on the west coast. It just sounds awful to me.

Maybe someone who is thrilled can change my mind. I’m open to it. Bring me your best case scenarios.

[Ill flame]

I can't see a scenario where we end up in the pac 12. If LU was somewhere in Texas it would be plausible but the geography and lack of other available schools in our region makes it a no go.

I can see scenarios where we find ourselves in the AAC or MWC but at this stage it seems very unlikely. I'm really not liking how things are shaking out for us right now. CUSA will lose teams. The only questions that remains are how many and which ones.

[ATrain]

Apparently, after Utah State's move, UNLV is now exploring its options, along with Air Force. Their committment was based on all 8 staying, but Utah State leaving makes them free agents once again.

Meanwhile, apparently Hawaii was having serious conversations with Commissioner Judy McLeod about joining CUSA at the Sam Houston game.

[Ill flame]

The only way I think an LU fan would be thrilled with a move to the PAC would be if they already live on the west coast. It just sounds awful to me.

Maybe someone who is thrilled can change my mind. I’m open to it. Bring me your best case scenarios.

Any hypothetical move to the pac would be short lived anyway but the opportunity to beat Washington, Oregon, boise and Fresno state on a regular basis would do wonders for our brand that could help catapult LU to greater heights than we could beating up CUSA.

[thepostman]

The only way it would make some sense long term, is if there were a eastern division. And I'm talking any schools in the eastern and central time zones. If all of the schools are in the mountain and pacific time zones, that just is tough. Especially for other sports not named football.

[JK37]

What am I missing?! It’s not Washington and Oregon; it’s their little step-siblings Washington State and Oregon State.

[ballcoach15]

I still recall a Liberty fan being upset when we left the Big South. He said "no more road trips to Radford and Longwood.

[ATrain]

Liberty Junior (aka Regent University) in VA Beach making a big investment in athletics. I think they'll be looking to move up from D-III soon. Some of these facilities will be nicer than what some of our former Big South rivals have:

https://www.pilotonline.com/2024/09/23/ ... han-isaac/

[cruzan_flame13]

The only way I think an LU fan would be thrilled with a move to the PAC would be if they already live on the west coast. It just sounds awful to me.

Maybe someone who is thrilled can change my mind. I’m open to it. Bring me your best case scenarios.

I don't see how it is that much different than in CUSA playing teams in the South West. Those on the east coast will still go to the home games, and those who've in the west have a chance to make it west. I'm not seeing how there will be such a drastic change there. The key point of this message is there will still be games in Lynchburg. Folks is making it sound like all games will be played in the west or on a neutral site. Now it would be a bit challenging for the olympic teams, but it's not impossible.

[Ill flame]

Interestingly Brett McMurphy reported yesterday that gonzaga is joining the PAC, Gonzagas AD came out and said that's a false report and today Brett Mcmurphy has doubled down and says he stands by his report. Considering he rarely misses when it comes to these things I get the impression that someone let it leak before gonzaga was ready to announce it and their AD is trying to downplay it until its official.

[olldflame]

I still recall a Liberty fan being upset when we left the Big South. He said "no more road trips to Radford and Longwood.

He may be referring to me there. While I was never "upset" about our leaving the BSC, I was among those who enjoyed being able to easily travel to see the Flames play on the road against multiple conference opponents (not just Radford and Longwood). Let's not forget, we were leaving for the ASUN, not C-USA. It was not much of an upgrade IMHO, and I doubt it had much if any impact on our eventually getting to where we are now. The move was necessary however, because being in a league where we were basically despised by conference and opponents administration had become untenable.

[Sly Fox]

With the late about face from the MWC schools last night, it is unlikely to occur. But I am having a tough time determining how a Pac or MWC experience woud be any different than what we currently have in the CUSA from a fan's perspective. Yeah, we definitely have more alumni and fans in Nashville & Florida than California & the Pacific Northwest. But as I stated earlier, most fans are only taking zero to maybe two road trips a year for football. They just would be a bit more expensive in MUCH more attractive locations. I get the impression that many of you honestly believe the world ends west of the Smokies. Count me in a for annual flight to PDX, SFO or especially SAN & BOI. Those who travel for work are nodding your heads right now. Those that only vacation in Orlando or Gatlinburg are puzzled. Most of you have no clue just amazing Idaho really is.

As we saw at the Fiesta Bowl, we have plenty of alumni and fans in the west who never have had access to Liberty athletics and they ate it up. The majority of LU fans that I interacted with in Tempe/Scottsdale/Glendale had not been to a Liberty sporting event since college. And even more of them were on LU Online students who were getting their first ever taste of the Flames.

Now selfishly I am like most you who would prefer to have some league schools within driving distance. Now that we are finally in a league with a couple schools within six hours behind the wheel (Sam, LaTech) I am on cloud nine, So I will always prefer hanging with at least one Texan school that is not over a 10-hour drive away. But if that doesn't shake out, it won't dampen my enthusiasm for the Flames.

[Sly Fox]

[cruzan_flame13]

With the late about face from the MWC schools last night, it is unlikely to occur. But I am having a tough time determining how a Pac or MWC experience woud be any different than what we currently have in the CUSA from a fan's perspective. Yeah, we definitely have more alumni and fans in Nashville & Florida than California & the Pacific Northwest. But as I stated earlier, most fans are only taking zero to maybe two road trips a year for football. They just would be a bit more expensive in MUCH more attractive locations. I get the impression that many of you honestly believe the world ends west of the Smokies. Count me in a for annual flight to PDX, SFO or especially SAN & BOI. Those who travel for work are nodding your heads right now. Those that only vacation in Orlando or Gatlinburg are puzzled. Most of you have no clue just amazing Idaho really is.

As we saw at the Fiesta Bowl, we have plenty of alumni and fans in the west who never have had access to Liberty athletics and they ate it up. The majority of LU fans that I interacted with in Tempe/Scottsdale/Glendale had not been to a Liberty sporting event since college. And even more of them were on LU Online students who were getting their first ever taste of the Flames.

Now selfishly I am like most you who would prefer to have some league schools within driving distance. Now that we are finally in a league with a couple schools within six hours behind the wheel (Sam, LaTech) I am on cloud nine, So I will always prefer hanging with at least one Texan school that is not over a 10-hour drive away. But if that doesn't shake out, it won't dampen my enthusiasm for the Flames.

This right here. Not sure how games in the west will affect those living in the east. Not like they are driving to UTEP, NMST, etc. Seems like people here think there's only like a couple LU supporters that resides west of the Mississippi. We have charters on both coast with a good chunk of supporters/fans. Playing better teams in better markets will make those folks even interested. Not even mentioning those donors who give a lot to the school. People underestimate the LU fans out west and how online alumni would actually love this in the west (especially in California).

[Sly Fox]

Is MWC dissolution coming? UNLV now holds keys to future in fight between Pac-12 and Mountain West

Ross Dellenger
Senior College Football Reporter
Tue, Sep 24, 2024, 8:51 AM CDT

Let's cut to the chase of the article and this is important for CUSA to watch closely today.

The Pac-12’s rebuilding effort could, ultimately, result in the destruction of its sister conference if UNLV accepts its offer to join. Such a move could trigger a domino effect that may lead to the Mountain West dissolving itself, presumably including the elimination of exit fees and other penalties for those members departing the conference.

Sources with knowledge of the Mountain West policies spoke to Yahoo Sports about the possibility, of which many officials in both the MWC and Pac-12 are aware of.

We haven't seen an FBS league disappear since the old Southwest Conference. This could explain why Judy Jeep was hanging in the endzone with the Hawaii AD at their game with Sam a little over a week ago.

If it agrees to leave, Air Force would be the seventh member to exit the conference. According to Mountain West bylaws, support from nine of the 12 football members is necessary to dissolve the conference.

In short, two of the five remaining Mountain West members — Wyoming, Hawaii, San Jose State, Nevada and New Mexico — would have to vote in support of dissolution.

The question looms: Would the Pac-12 invite two of them to avoid what amounts to more than $120 million in exit and penalty fees?

“That’s the play, honestly,” says one athletic director with knowledge of the situation.

Talk about cutthroat! Could a merger with CUSA go down? Lawyers likely will have the final say in this mess.

Click Here for Full Story

[ATrain]

With the late about face from the MWC schools last night, it is unlikely to occur. But I am having a tough time determining how a Pac or MWC experience woud be any different than what we currently have in the CUSA from a fan's perspective. Yeah, we definitely have more alumni and fans in Nashville & Florida than California & the Pacific Northwest. But as I stated earlier, most fans are only taking zero to maybe two road trips a year for football. They just would be a bit more expensive in MUCH more attractive locations. I get the impression that many of you honestly believe the world ends west of the Smokies. Count me in a for annual flight to PDX, SFO or especially SAN & BOI. Those who travel for work are nodding your heads right now. Those that only vacation in Orlando or Gatlinburg are puzzled. Most of you have no clue just amazing Idaho really is.

As we saw at the Fiesta Bowl, we have plenty of alumni and fans in the west who never have had access to Liberty athletics and they ate it up. The majority of LU fans that I interacted with in Tempe/Scottsdale/Glendale had not been to a Liberty sporting event since college. And even more of them were on LU Online students who were getting their first ever taste of the Flames.

Now selfishly I am like most you who would prefer to have some league schools within driving distance. Now that we are finally in a league with a couple schools within six hours behind the wheel (Sam, LaTech) I am on cloud nine, So I will always prefer hanging with at least one Texan school that is not over a 10-hour drive away. But if that doesn't shake out, it won't dampen my enthusiasm for the Flames.

This right here. Not sure how games in the west will affect those living in the east. Not like they are driving to UTEP, NMST, etc. Seems like people here think there's only like a couple LU supporters that resides west of the Mississippi. We have charters on both coast with a good chunk of supporters/fans. Playing better teams in better markets will make those folks even interested. Not even mentioning those donors who give a lot to the school. People underestimate the LU fans out west and how online alumni would actually love this in the west (especially in California).

I flew to El Paso than drove to NM State. I would say there were around as many LU fans there as who made the trip to Buffalo last year.

[Kricket]

Is there anyone who thinks UNLV won’t end up on in the PAC 12, seriously?

[Sly Fox]

As soon as Dellenger came out with his story on the MWC possibly dissolving, it drove a slew of lawyers online to look at the bylaws and determine if the suggestion is legally sound. Clearly any exiting school is no longer possessing a vote. If Air Force & UNLV both fly the coop, there would still be five left-behinds who will be very well funded. Affilates don't get a dissolution vote accrording to the bylaws. Could the Pac bribing two of those five remaining schools to agree to a dissolution? It gets legally murky.

The most likely scenario has the remaining MWC schools adding UTEP & NM State and then one other school to stay alive and collect the massive amount of exit fees from the departing schools.

[LUOrange]

As soon as Dellenger came out with his story on the MWC possibly dissolving, it drove a slew of lawyers online to look at the bylaws and determine if the suggestion is legally sound. Clearly any exiting school is no loner possessing a vote. If Air Force & UNLV both fly the coop, there would still be five left-behinds who will be very well funded. Affilates don't get a dissolution vote accrording to the bylaws. Could the Pac bribing two of those five remaining schools to agree to a dissolution? It gets legally murky.

The most likely scenario has the remaining MWC schools adding UTEP & NM State and then one other school to stay alive and collect the massive amount of exit fees from the departing schools.

If the MWC 5 haven't reached out to UTEP, NMSU, Sac State, Idaho, the Montanas and the Dakotas yet, they're derelict in their own survival. Unless of course, a merger with CUSA is their contingency plan.

[aj7]

I live in Oklahoma and would probably consider attending some Liberty road games at Utah St, Boise St, SDSU, Colorado St, etc. Much more attractive than Jacksonville St, Delaware, or WKU right now. If the Pac wants Liberty we'd really need them to add at least one more eastern team. Would make for a nice rival. Right now we don't really have one in conference.

[Sly Fox]

According to Dodd, the MWC hadn't reached out to either UTEP or NMSU as of Saturday. But the events of yesterday certainly changed that position.

UNLV to the Pac has seemed like an inevitability for awhile. The lack of urgency by the Pac to make them a priority has certainly backfired ... ditto for AFA. But I agree that the both seem inevitable. Then again, the MWC is sitting on a pile of exit fees and they can certainly sweeten the pot to keep both of them in the fold.

[tyndal23]

Anyone discussing UConn as a football only add for PAC? Seems like if they are forced to go east for a team, that is a ready made solution.

[cruzan_flame13]

Anyone discussing UConn as a football only add for PAC? Seems like if they are forced to go east for a team, that is a ready made solution.

If only Gonzaga joins the PAC, the that would make sense. Of course that idea is still thrown up in the air, for now.

[ballcoach15]

East Coast schools should not be in West coast conferences, and west coast schools should not be in east coast conferences. And no school should be admitted to any conference for only 1 sport.

[Sly Fox]

And it appears that the Pac has found what they view as a friendly court to file a lawsuit against the MWC to try and negotiate down the price of exit for the first four schools that brought in.

Now keep in mind, the schools they brought in agreed to the terms just a few months ago. I am not sure what leg the Pac has to stand on since the schools they picked did this to themselves. But this is how these deals tend to go down. Attorneys are the primary ones benefiting from this nonsense.

Will this move impact some of those schools like UNLV that are on the fence about leaving?

Does this indicate that the Pac doesn't have all the resources that many of us presumed to pursue their expansion? It might explain why their enticements to the AAC schools were so paltry.