Seven remaining full members of the Mountain West have signed a memorandum of understanding to remain with the league through 2032 amid the latest wave of realignment, the league announced Thursday. That includes UNLV and Air Force, both of which were top expansion candidates for other conferences but intend to remain with the MWC.
“Our immediate priority was solidifying the membership of the Mountain West. Now our focus turns to our collective future on behalf of our student-athletes,” said Mountain West Commissioner Gloria Nevarez said in a statement released by the school. “The agreements announced today mark a historic moment for the Mountain West and provide much-needed stability and clarity as the world of intercollegiate athletics continues to evolve rapidly. We are excited about our future and are executing our next steps in expanding the Mountain West. We will continue to prioritize the student-athlete experience and do all we can to support our institutions as they compete at the highest levels of intercollegiate athletics.”
The Mountain West is expected to pay UNLV and Air Force at least $25 million in bonus money to each school to remain in the conference, a person familiar with the decision told CBS Sports‘ Brandon Marcello. That bonus will be funded by the upwards of $17 million that Boise State, Colorado State, Utah State, Fresno State and San Diego State each owe for breaking the Mountain West’s grant of rights so they can join the Pac-12 on July 1, 2026.
The league announced distribution payment percentages for all seven schools. Air Force and UNLV will receive 24.5%, Nevada, New Mexico, San José State and Wyoming 11.5%, and Hawaii 5%.
While UNLV reaffirmed its commitment to the Mountain West, the school also declared its ambitions to one day join a Power Four conference.
“After a thorough evaluation of all options, at this time the best choice for UNLV is to remain a member of the Mountain West,” UNLV athletic director Eric Harper said in a statement released by the school. “We are a charter member of the conference, have had a great experience throughout its history and are excited to continue moving forward. The league is a genuine brand and an established product. Increased revenues are a vital factor. As we look ahead and continue our ascent as an athletics department, this also gives us necessary flexibility as we pursue our future goal of joining an autonomous (Power Four) conference.”
The MWC currently stands at seven football members, including Hawaii. It must reach a minimum requirement of eight full members to be recognized as a conference by the NCAA, an important distinction when it comes to being eligible for one of five automatic berths in the 12-team College Football Playoff field.
