It looks as if Air Force is pushing its chips to the middle of the Mountain West’s table. And vice versa.
But unfolding events could result in a misdeal.
Air Force on Monday reaffirmed their commitment to the Mountain West and declined an offer to join the American Athletic Conference, according to a report from Yahoo Sports. This came hours after the same outlet reported that the Colorado Springs-based Mountain West would use some of the money it will receive from recent departures to the Pac-12 to entice Air Force and UNLV to remain in the conference, in the form on a one-time payment.
The Falcons were also being considered for the Pac-12. Those talks stalled when the Pac-12 declined to pay Air Force's $17 million exit fee from the Mountain West, a source told The Gazette. The Pac-12 would have loaned Air Force the exit fee and paid the $11 million poaching fee it would have owed the Mountain West as part of a scheduling agreement.
Air Force declined to issue a comment on Monday afternoon.
But while the day started strong for the Mountain West with Air Force and UNLV agreeing to stay, marking a major momentum shift for a league that nearly two weeks ago lost Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State and San Diego State to the Pac-12, things then began to unravel.
On Monday evening Utah State accepted an invitation to also join the Pac-12. The agreement that Air Force signed and UNLV verbally agreed to, according to multiple reports, was contingent upon the Mountain West still being at eight teams.
With the Aggies' departure dropping the conference below that threshold, everything could again be in flux.
The Mountain West has money to work with in this situation. When the four teams left to join Oregon State and Washington State it created a windfall of cash. Between exit fees and poaching penalties built into a scheduling agreement for this season, the Mountain West stands to pocket around $111 million. That will increase by roughly $28 million once the Utah State decision becomes official.
It was widely assumed the Mountain West would use that money to keep its remaining teams together and/or lure others, and Monday provided the first indication of how that will be put into practice.
Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez had set a Monday deadline in her effort to secure a long-term commitment from the league’s remaining schools – Air Force, Hawaii (football-only), Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, UNLV, Utah State and Wyoming comprised the remaining teams as of Monday morning.
Also on Monday, Memphis, South Florida, Tulane and UTSA revealed their intention to stay in the AAC, spurning interest from the Pac-12.
The movement is not complete. With Utah State jumping, that gives the Mountain West and Pac-12 seven members apiece. Eight teams are required to be an officially recognized NCAA conference.
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