The LV Review article gives me some hope again for the merger. At this point the main reasons for still wanting a reverse merger are, in no particular order:
- Keeping our future NCAA basketball allocations (~$30M for the Pac-2 in FY 2026 and beyond)
- Allowing for a rewritten set of bylaws that IMHO would benefit the MW schools if done correctly. Reduce exit fees and eliminate the BSU premium for starters
- Add a litle cachet to the conference. This one is debatable, but I stand firm on the notion that the Alaska Air PacMtn Conference would come off as an elevation in profile for the MW, and some semblance of face-saving for the Pac-2
- If we could pull it off and make it effective for FY2025, the Pac-2 would keep their BB allocations, the MW schools would keep all of theirs (however that would be split up, assumably pro-rata as they currently stand. Pac-2 and MW schools keep whatever other cash, etc. exists. Now if the Pac-2 were to join another conference (none of whom want us) as of FY 2025, our final Rose Bowl $50M and CFP monies (a few $M?) would probably go away. So it's reverse merge as of FY 2025 or wait until FY 2026
- Finally, we currently cannot win a league championship in FB, and get -0- BB allocations from the WCC aka HS gym league. An FY 2025 reverse merger fixes both for next year. And eliminates the $10M plus $1M affiliation payments and allows us to share in whatever TV revenues are out there.
Teresa will be out of a job come FY 2026 no matter what happens. Again, in my humble but All-knowing and All-seeing opinion, it seems like her best bet is to lobby for her old job back under new Commissioner Gloria Nevarez. Part of my magical and almost mystical vision is, as stated only a few dozen times, is to shutter the Pac-2 offices and move the merged conference HQ to Colorado Springs under Gloria's leadership.
Such a win-win for all involved. That said, if the Pac-2 continues to F- around, our only option will soon be to, hat in hand, come begging for the Mtn West to take us in as of FY2026. The $30M out the window becomes less of an issue at that point.
