Quote:The cable channel created for the Mountain West Conference – the Mtn – is shutting down and will go dark May 31, sources said. The channel's 44 employees were informed of the decision late this afternoon during a meeting at their Denver HQs.

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily...e-mtn.aspx

I guess that ends the dream of the MAC running its own network.

The networks will see the failed example set by the Mountain and be very reluctant to try a network with a smaller conference.

Quote:Sources indicate that CBS Sports Network and the Mountain West Conference are close to finalizing a deal for the conference's rights that will wind up increasing national distribution for the Mountain West's upcoming football and basketball games.

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily...e-mtn.aspx

Doesn't sound like much of a merger is in the works for CUSA and MWC if MWC is signing away TV rights as a seperate entitiy.

Quote:The moves make sense given the uncertainty surrounding the Mountain West Conference, which is forming some sort of business alliance with Conference USA.

What is going with the merger? CUSA and MWC remain completely seperate but they work together in scheduling and bowls or something?

CUSA gonna add 4 teams to get back to 12. FIU and UNT sound like lead candidates. Who are the other two? ECU and Marshall gonna be pushing for a few local teams for them. Who is that? La Tech? CUSA adding Sun-belt and FCS teams.

MWC also needs 4 teams. Im gonna guess UTSA, Utah State, San Jose, and ? Idaho? man that leaves the WAC in bad shape and if they don't want Idaho, they will have to drop to FCS and join the Big Sky. Is the Big East done or does Air Force and/or Fresno go?

sounds like the non-aq conferences will be shrinking to 4 from 5.

I could see both CUSA and the MWC trying to get to 10 schools and set up a regular season finale between them.

The alliance has unraveled in recent weeks. It could very well be off completely. The networks were unwilling to pay the alliance enough to offset the loss of NCAA basketball credits (about 500,000 per school for both the MWC and CUSA).

The networks aren't willing to offer much more than the 1 million per school both conferences have been making. I think that point is pretty obvious. I can't see any MAC schools wanting to be part of this sinking ship at this juncture.

If the WAC and SBC get raided heavily I would expect both to reload. Afterall, they offer rare opportunites for schools to play at the highest FBS level in football. Georgia State is in public discussions with the SBC and I suspect their will be several more FCS upgrades when the smoke clears.

(04-05-2012 06:06 PM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  

Quote:The cable channel created for the Mountain West Conference – the Mtn – is shutting down and will go dark May 31, sources said. The channel's 44 employees were informed of the decision late this afternoon during a meeting at their Denver HQs.

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily...e-mtn.aspx

I guess that ends the dream of the MAC running its own network.

The networks will see the failed example set by the Mountain and be very reluctant to try a network with a smaller conference.

Since when is the MAC smaller than the Mountain West?

(04-06-2012 01:38 PM)NIUfilmmaker Wrote:  

(04-05-2012 06:06 PM)Louis Kitton Wrote:  

Quote:The cable channel created for the Mountain West Conference – the Mtn – is shutting down and will go dark May 31, sources said. The channel's 44 employees were informed of the decision late this afternoon during a meeting at their Denver HQs.

http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Daily...e-mtn.aspx

I guess that ends the dream of the MAC running its own network.

The networks will see the failed example set by the Mountain and be very reluctant to try a network with a smaller conference.

Since when is the MAC smaller than the Mountain West?

I was using the term smaller here to refer to profile. The MAC is smaller profile compared to Big XII, ACC, Big Ten.

While nothing in LK's linked article was mistaken or incorrect, the article really didn't touch on why MWC fans were not real happy with The Mtn.

They never did get a deal done with the satellite TV companies and so their reach was very limited. Many fans of conference schools were unable to see any of the games on TV. While some crowed that the conference had their own TV network, most said, "who cares, if nobody can see that network?!!" You couldn't get the Mtn in Denver, home of the conference.