End of C-USA, MWC - Merging to Form New League

[TexasTerror]

C-USA and MWC are set to be no more...


The institutions from Conference USA and the Mountain West are dissolving both leagues to create their own conference, college football industry sources told CBSSports.com.

The new conference will start in the 2013-14 academic year. Conference USA and the Mountain West would contain as is for the 2012-13 season.

The reason that the institutions are dissolving and forming their own league is for legal reasons, sources said.

http://brett-mcmurphy.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/29532522/34822810

[TexasTerror]

C-USA MB discussion... http://ncaabbs.com/showthread.php?tid=555002
MWC MB discussion... http://www.mwcboard.com/www/forums/index.php?showtopic=39039

[TexasTerror]

Announcement forthcoming per ESPN...


The Mountain West and Conference USA will announce a newly named conference in what is being termed a new association, not a merger of the remaining existing members, according to multiple sources.

The conference may start as early as 2013-14.

The MWC/C-USA will have a regional/divisional makeup of the current membership of the two leagues.

Tulane's president Dr. Scott Cowen and UNLV president Neal Smatresk, the chairs of C-USA and the MWC, respectively, will make the announcement later Monday. The two sides held a Sunday meeting.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/7571596/mountain-west-conference-usa-agree-deal-sources-say

[PaladinFan]

Ah, the leftovers.

[TexasTerror]

My friend at UNLV sent me this from their President... mentions further expansion!


UNIVERSITIES ANNOUNCE PLANS TO FORM CONFERENCE

Presidents and chancellors from 16 universities met in Dallas Sunday to discuss future conference membership plans and agreed to work on forming a new intercollegiate athletic association that would begin competition in the 2013-14 academic year.

This presidentially led association will ensure stability and be built upon the principles of operating at the highest level of integrity and sportsmanship, enhancing the student-athlete academic and competitive experience, bringing fiscal discipline into athletics and ensuring competitive fairness.
“This is an exciting development that will stabilize the current conferences and create the first truly national conference with members in five time zones and television viewership from coast to coast. This partnership brings together like-minded institutions to improve the integrity and stability of intercollegiate athletics,” said UNLV President Neal Smatresk. “We are moving our plans forward rapidly and expect to complete our conversations in the near future. Look for further announcements soon as we work together on this exciting new venture.”
Universities involved in the discussions were the United States Air Force Academy, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Colorado State University, East Carolina University, Fresno State, University of Hawaii, Marshall University, University of Nevada, Reno, University of New Mexico, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Rice University, University of Southern Mississippi, University of Texas at El Paso, Tulane University, The University of Tulsa and University of Wyoming. With the exception of Hawaii as a football only member, the participation would involve all sports.

The structure of the new conference will likely include:
· Membership of 18 to 24 universities
· National scope from the Atlantic Seaboard to Hawaii
· Championship football game format that includes semifinal match-ups
· Championship basketball tournament
· Regular season scheduling in divisions
· NCAA FBS affiliation
· Mechanisms to emphasize and improve academic standards and fiscal responsibility

The presidents and chancellors will have follow-up meetings over the next six months to fully develop the operational issues essential to the formation of the association.

Edit - link now available - http://www.themwc.com/genrel/021312aab.html