(08-08-2019 03:10 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  being back down to 7 is a concern. But It's not like there are any more schools moving. The WCC, Big West, Big Sky and MWC have no interest in expanding; the Big Sky and MWC in fact would be indifferent to losing a school to another conference, feeling no need or want to back fill. Same is true of the SLC, who like the Big Sky and C-USA over expanded and prefer to lose a member or two than to add anyone.

I actually think the Summit losing PUFW may be a blessing in disguise for he WAC. By July 2022 they will need to resolve being short a Baseball school. One possibility is they could start football, given they have 5 members already who play football, and WAC schools that play FCS, such as Dixie State could be invited as associates to have a 6th. This could help the WAC if they go that direction, in a similar manner that he Big South helps the ASUN, by allowing the D-II move ups with football to have a home. Thus an Azusa Pacific or Tarleton State could move up to the WAC and have a home for Football. That greatly widens the pool of potential move ups, as a lack of FCS football home is a clear barrier to WAC move ups.

Note, while that would be a great situation for the WAC to have the Summit start football, it is far more likely the summit gets a waiver from the NCAA to kick the can down the road until 2024 or even later, or alternately they decide to offer an associate something like $100K in distributions to shift their affiliation (Northern Colorado baseball seems a logical target) or that same offer to one of their current members to start up baseball. But from a WAC standpoint I'd prefer to see them start FCS football.

I think GCU will start putting feelers out if the WAC falls to 7. Someone will take them if they offer a bribe. Everyone loves cash...

Here's another thought. What about Utah Valley and the Summit? They have baseball and men's soccer. Denver's kinda lonely out there too.