NCAA College Basketball: WAC Furious At Fresno State And Nevada Moves
The Western Athletic Conference is taking a hard stance against Fresno State and Nevada after the two schools accepted bids to join the Mountain West Conference, putting the league in a dire situation.
The moves also potentially destroy a WAC plan to bring in BYU for sports other than football. The addition of BYU to sports like basketball would help the WAC survive, but that deal is now in jeopardy, similar to its’ sportsbook odds. In reaction to the news of the departures, WAC commissioner Karl Benson will demand that each school pay a $5 million fee and wait until the 2012 season to depart.
After the WAC lost Boise State earlier this summer, the league was scrambling to regroup. Less than a week ago, WAC teams reach a buyout agreement aimed at keeping the remaining schools together. Nevada did not sign the agreement, but Benson still believes the school should be held accountable. Benson expressed further anger at the schools by saying he had wished he made the fee $20 million.
Since Fresno State and Nevada did not announce their intention to leave by July 1, Benson also said they should be obligated to the WAC until 2012. The six remaining WAC schools will determine if Fresno State and Nevada can leave the league in time for the 2011 season.
The WAC is no stranger to change. The league has ranged from as few as six teams to as many as sixteen. In 1999, half the schools split to form the Mountain West. The Mountain West lost Utah and stands to lose BYU, leading to their invitations to WAC schools.
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