BREAKING: The Mountain West Conference is halting new membership additions as it navigates crucial media rights negotiations, Commissioner Gloria Nevarez announced during the annual football media days in Las Vegas on Wednesday. This strategic pause aims to allow the conference to focus on securing a new media deal before considering any further expansion.
As part of its current restructuring, the Mountain West will welcome Grand Canyon University across all sports except football starting this year. Notably, Hawaii is set to join as a full member in 2026, alongside Texas-El Paso. Meanwhile, Northern Illinois will participate in football only, and UC Davis will join as a non-football member.
However, the conference faces immediate challenges, as five schools—Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Utah State—are set to depart for the Pac-12 next year, intensifying the urgency of the situation.
“We’re going to pause right now as far as additional membership,” Nevarez stated. “Never say never, but we really want to get through our media rights negotiation, take a deep breath and then we’ll readdress the issue.”
With both the Mountain West and Pac-12 embroiled in a legal dispute over poaching fees, the stakes are high as they prepare to return to court. The Mountain West is also absorbing expenses related to Grand Canyon’s early entry, further complicating its financial landscape.
In a significant operational shift, the conference will relocate its headquarters from Colorado Springs, where it has been based since its inception in 1999, to Las Vegas in July 2026. This move signifies a bold new chapter for the conference.
Additionally, Nevarez reaffirmed the Mountain West’s opposition to allowing conferences more than one automatic berth to the College Football Playoff, a proposal supported by the Big Ten but losing traction with the SEC.
As the Mountain West navigates these pivotal changes, the sports community is keenly watching for updates on its media rights negotiations and potential future expansion. Stay tuned as developments unfold in this rapidly evolving story.