• Loading stock data...
Monday, November 4, 2024
The Best Employers in Sports survey is open through Nov. 6 Learn More

The Mountain West Is Waiting for the ACC To Make Expansion Decisions

  • On Wednesday, the Mountain West confirmed in a statement that it’s considering expansion.
  • But the conference is waiting for the ACC to make realignment decisions, commissioner Gloria Nevarez told FOS.
Brian Losness-Imagn Images

In the current round of realignment, the Mountain West is dealing from a position of strength.

On Wednesday, the conference confirmed that it’s considering expansion, and that commissioner Gloria Nevarez and New Mexico president Garnett Stokes will lead the conversation. 

TV Money Built the Modern Power 5. Then Destroyed It.

“We’ll look back … in 20 years and go, what are we…
August 5, 2023

The conference has done due diligence on a plethora of options, but it isn’t making any snap decisions — it will wait for the ACC to move first.

“I do think — and I don’t know the details — but the ACC is in deliberation right now,” Nevarez told Front Office Sports on Wednesday. “And I think that needs to happen first before anything would get serious with us.”

The current realignment conversations are all part of the aftermath of last week’s seismic shift in realignment that all but killed the Pac-12.

Reports have suggested the ACC is seriously considering whether to add Cal and Stanford, as well as SMU. Washington State and Oregon State will also be looking for a home, but it’s unclear about the level of interest — if any — that ACC schools may have in those programs.

The ACC may not make a decision by the end of the week, according to ESPN. 

Last Friday morning, the conference was unable to finalize a media rights contract with Apple. By the end of the day, the Big 12 announced it would take Utah, Arizona State, and Arizona one week after securing the return of Colorado. The Big Ten has added Washington and Oregon. That left just Oregon State, Washington State, Cal, and Stanford on the table. 

“The [Pac-12] implosion absolutely rocked my world,” Nevarez, a previous Pac-12 employee and graduate of Cal law school, said. 

But now, she’s looking forward. “Nothing is off the table.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Vanderbilt Commodores fans head to the south end zone as the goal post is taken down by exuberant fans after beating No. 1 Alabama 40-35 at Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024.
opinion

Something New in College Football This Year: Parity

Upsets, surprises. CFB is more fun on the field than the NFL.
Sep 28, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; GOP Presidential candidate Donald Trump waves flanked by former Georgia Bulldogs player Herschel Walker, recording art Kid Rock, professional golfer John Daily, Alabama senators Tommy Tuberville (R) and Katie Britt (R) during the second half of the game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs at Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Mission Swing State: College Football’s Political Advertising Battle

Trump, Harris, and the PACs that support them are utilizing the sport.
Eastern New Mexico forward Jose Murillo (33) passes the ball between Grand Canyon University forward Sammie Yeanay (23) and guard Makaih Williams (2) during an exhibition game at Global Credit Union Arena in Phoenix on Oct. 29, 2024.

Grand Canyon University to Join Mountain West in 2026

The Mountain West has added three new schools after the Pac-12 poached five from the conference.

Olympic Sport College Coaches Hire Lobbyists Amid NCAA Upheaval

The NCAA and power conferences have spent millions on an effort to preserve amateurism.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

First-Ever 12-Team CFP Takes Shape

0:00

Featured Today

The Untapped Revenue ‘Powder Keg’ of Women’s NFL Fandom

There’s a “boatload” of money at stake for brands and the league.
Oct 19, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) shakes hands while entering the locker room after a game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.
October 28, 2024

NIL Director Is the Trendy New Job in College Sports. But the Role Is Chaos

Athletic departments nationwide are hiring for what’s become their most important position.
FuboTV signage
opinion
October 26, 2024

Fubo’s Fight Against Streaming Giants Feels Futile

Fubo notched a legal win, but subs and stock still slump.
October 25, 2024

Inside The Wall at L.A. Clippers’ New $2B Home

FOS went inside the “contagious” energy at the L.A. Clippers’ Intuit Dome.
October 25, 2024

College Coaching Legends Say Their Players Are Professionals

More and more coaches admit they see their players as pros.
October 28, 2024

College Football Playoff Expansion Already Heating Up Off-Field Drama

ESPN’s and Fox’s rival pregame shows will broadcast from the same campus.
Sponsored

World Series Delivers High-Demand Marquee Matchup

The hype around the World Series matchup drove ticket prices to record levels—but the Dodgers’ dominance quickly quieted the fervor.
Oct 19, 2024; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis (16) throws the ball during the second half against the UCLA Bruins at SHI Stadium.
October 24, 2024

CFB Fans Can Thank Fox, World Series for 11 p.m. Rutgers Game

Fox has aired five Friday night college football games so far this season.
The NCAA logo on the field in the closing second of the Anderson University inaugural football game with St. Andrew's University on Spero Financial Field at Melvin and Dollie Younts Stadium at Anderson University in Anderson, S.C. Saturday, September 7, 2024. Anderson won 51-14.
October 22, 2024

Charlie Baker Thinks There’s Room for Private Equity in College Sports

College athletic departments are seeking out more revenue streams.
Oct 19, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart in the second quarter against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
October 22, 2024

Georgia-Texas Season’s Most-Viewed CFB Game, Another ABC Win

Georgia-Texas on Saturday night drew 13.2 million viewers.
People at the Mesa Convention Center watch former President Donald J. Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris debate on Sept. 10, 2024.
October 22, 2024

The Future of College Sports Hangs in the Balance With the 2024 Elections

The election could decide the fate of athlete employment and amateurism.