San Diego State leaves Mountain West to join Big West

[Da Coach]

Another slightly unusual and somewhat unexpected move- San Diego State will leave the Mountain West Conference, and join the Big West Conference starting in 2013-2014.

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/7346708/san-diego-state-aztecs-move-14-sports-big-west-2013-14

Their football team was one of those recently announced additions to the Big East, so this move to the Big West Conference is for basketball and the other sports.
Better TV coverage along the west coast, and less travel were the major considerations. Nonetheless, the Big West is a major step down from the Mountain West for many sports, including men's basketball.
The MWC is currently the #4 conference in RPI for men's basketball, while the Big West is way down the list at #24.

[TheAsianSensation]

Even more weirdly, SDSU convinced the Big West to go to a 14-game conference schedule, which seems quite low. SDSU has scheduling agreements with the Big East to fill out the non-con sked and they didn't want to be overly restricted by the Big West schedule.

The Big East situation is going to make a mess out of collegiate sports. Navy itself right now is trying to terminate all their scheduling arrangements in order to make a move to the BEast ASAP.

[Bravesfan]

Even more weirdly, SDSU convinced the Big West to go to a 14-game conference schedule, which seems quite low. SDSU has scheduling agreements with the Big East to fill out the non-con sked and they didn't want to be overly restricted by the Big West schedule.

The Big East situation is going to make a mess out of collegiate sports. Navy itself right now is trying to terminate all their scheduling arrangements in order to make a move to the BEast ASAP.

I know as a high end mid-major, I'd be ticked off moving to the Big West. Talk about an RPI killer! Even losing BYU, the Mountain West is still a heck of a lot stronger than the Big West! I don't know what their motive for moving was.

[TheAsianSensation]

I know as a high end mid-major, I'd be ticked off moving to the Big West. Talk about an RPI killer! Even losing BYU, the Mountain West is still a heck of a lot stronger than the Big West! I don't know what their motive for moving was.

The MWC kicked them out because SDSU moved its football to the Big East. WCC isn't interested in public schools with SDSU's profile. The WAC is horribly unstable.

The Big West was best available for SDSU.

[Bravesfan]

The MWC kicked them out because SDSU moved its football to the Big East. WCC isn't interested in public schools with SDSU's profile. The WAC is horribly unstable.

The Big West was best available for SDSU.

Well I guess that explains things. Thanks for the info TAS!

If I were the MWC I'd be ticked off at them too considering the number of cross country flights they are now going to need for their football team! I hope that's worth it for them considering the Big East football conference will contain a mix of bad to great teams!

[Braves4Life]

Football is literally destroying college athletics.

[TheAsianSensation]

Well I guess that explains things. Thanks for the info TAS!

If I were the MWC I'd be ticked off at them too considering the number of cross country flights they are now going to need for their football team! I hope that's worth it for them considering the Big East football conference will contain a mix of bad to great teams!

I have no idea why SDSU thought it was a good idea. Boise with a football program ready to compete for conference titles and national championships right away is one thing....SDSU, an average program, is another thing.

[TheAsianSensation]

Football is literally destroying college athletics.

Just wait until the CUSA/MWC merger happens for all sports. It's coming.

[Bravesfan]

Just wait until the CUSA/MWC merger happens for all sports. It's coming.

Oh yeah! It will be here before we know it. Glad the Valley is standing pat for the time being. We don't need to be involved in this kind of nonsense, though if a solid mid-major program wanted to join our conference, I would be all for it. But we don't need to be involved in the kind of upheaval that other conferences are going through right now.

[Da Coach]

Just wait until the CUSA/MWC merger happens for all sports. It's coming.

I don't see that happening -- too many time zones.
Once Hawaii joins the MWC (2012) a merger with CUSA would span 5 time zones.

[TylerDurden]

C-USA/MWC merger is going to happen. It's essentially a done deal.

The only way it won't happen at this point is if some University presidents decide not to go through with it at the last minute.

[TheAsianSensation]

It's a done deal for football but not for the other sports.

And they're working on a timeframe here because CUSA is at 9 members right now and the MWC has 7 full time + Hawaii FB only. Both need to either combine for all sports, or each add a couple extra members to fill out their individual conferences. The latter option would swell the alliance to around 20-22 schools for football, though. So I can't see that latter option happening. Who would CUSA add?

[TylerDurden]

It's a done deal for football but not for the other sports.

And they're working on a timeframe here because CUSA is at 9 members right now and the MWC has 7 full time + Hawaii FB only. Both need to either combine for all sports, or each add a couple extra members to fill out their individual conferences. The latter option would swell the alliance to around 20-22 schools for football, though. So I can't see that latter option happening. Who would CUSA add?

It's going to happen for all sports. They won't be adding schools in the typical conference shuffle way. Trust me on this one.

[TheAsianSensation]

It's going to happen for all sports. They won't be adding schools in the typical conference shuffle way. Trust me on this one.

I'm starting to sense the same thing. It's their one chance to separate from the have-nots in FBS and try to join the haves.