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The MWC/Pac fallout and other thoughts

Utah State won the Mountain West Conference in 2021 but the Wyoming Cowboys took home Bridger’s Rifle after thumping the Aggies in Logan (Photo by GoWyo.com)

I felt like I had a few things on my mind and hadn’t written a sports column in a while, so here are some things that have been rolling around in my head.

Dahl Erickson has been the Sports Editor for the Star Valley Independent since 2006 and broadcasting Star Valley sports on radio since 2003. (Photo by Josh “Big Daddy” Henderson)

Conference Realignment: On June 1, it became official. Five “state” schools informed the Mountain West that they were leaving to join the holdovers from the Pac-12, Oregon State and Washington State. Boise, colorado, Utah, Fresno and San Diego versions of the state schools will now wait to see what kind of financial penalty they will get for the move. The reason for the June 1 announcement was the penalty got bigger if they didn’t give official notice by that date. On paper, it is three times the annual payout per school, which will be somewhere in the neighborhood of $15-$18 million per school. On top of that, is the “poaching” fees which were part of a contract signed by the Beavers and Cougars which was meant to ward off coaxing any schools to their league. This was listed at $55 million. The two sides have been in mediation for the past two weeks with multiple lawsuits filed by the Pac-12 schools.

Here are my thoughts. Contacts are like insurance. You think you have it in writing until it comes time to get your money. I don’t know what the amount will actually turn out to be. The two sides have just recently completed three weeks of mediation. Personally I hope it’s every nickel because it just seems like a mostly lateral move. The TV deal for the league is being fully announced this week. They still need another full-time member to reach eight. They don’t really have a slam dunk choice. They will pick one because they have to and they will trumpet it like it’s the best school in the country, but there is not a clear-cut choice.

RELATED: FIVE SCHOOLS OFFICIALLY GIVE NOTICE TO LEAVE MOUNTAIN WEST

Do I think the new Pac-12 will have a larger television contract than the Mountain West? Probably. Enough to make it worth this move? That’s the big question. I think the MWC deal is probably going to be somewhere between $4-$5 million per school on a conservative scale. I think the Pac deal will be a little more, but certainly not anywhere close to what the hype from some seem to be. I’m going to guess between $8-$9 million. So yes more, but how many years of that does it take to pay back the MWC for defecting? Five years? There was some really selfish pride involved by a lot of people for this. The ones that I find the most disappointing is Washington State and Oregon State. They had a $250 million war chest and chose to act like a toddler in a kitchen. The two leagues should have just merged. Period. The next team I’m really disappointed in is Utah State. It’s the kind of behavior we fans have come to expect from colorado state and Boise State and the two California programs, but considering the Aggies were the ones that chose to blow things up at the pivotal moment? Well you know what they say about karma and payback.

As for the teams left in the Mountain West, on the surface, you can get a little depressed if you react initially. But the league, like the Wyoming Cowboys themselves, has a chance to solidify their core beliefs that I think the Intermountain West really hold true. If you don’t want to be there, then get the hell out. I think personally the addition of North Dakota State for football is a no-brainer if that’s possible. A school like Texas State is intriguing because of their sheer size and even Sacramento State and their giant NIL purse they are flashing around could be good options. I don’t know. But what I do know, is that the schools who are choosing to ride with Wyoming? I got their back. The ones that are leaving. Don’t expect any civility or courtesy.

Star Valley Football: Heading into the fall, the Braves have won 21 straight games. The school record is 23. The longest unbeaten streak, which includes tie games, is 35. If the Braves can come out of the gate strong and pick up two road wins to start the season in Shelley and Preston, that 24th potential win could be at home. The opponent? Sugar-Salem.

RELATED: KALIN SCHWAB TAKES OVER SVHS VOLLEYBALL

Star Valley Volleyball: It was fun to talk with new SVHS coach Kalin Schwab and his goals for the program. He is an example of having passion that can lead to purpose that can lead to success. I like that. There appears to be a good crop of players coming back from last season and I hope they can continue to take positive steps. It also makes me appreciate the people who take this job. Suni Brown did a great job and unless you are in every practice for a sports team, you really don’t appreciate how much it takes to have them ready to go on game day for several months. This goes for all sports, but unless you’re willing to apply for the job, your criticisms should probably stay in your head.

RELATED: WHSAA COMMISSIONER TREVOR WILSON

Kemmerer High School: If you read the article in this section about the WHSAA reclassification cycles, keep the Rangers in mind as southwest Wyoming is perhaps in the beginning of a generational shift in economic potential. Kemmerer has an estimated average of 188 students right now. What will it be in five years? Time will tell.