The Mountain West has secured a written commitment from all six of its full members to a binding agreement that will keep them together into 2032, a person briefed on the negotiations told The Athletic.
The agreement needed six signatories to be official, including Air Force and UNLV, which has happened. Hawaii, which is a football-only member, has not yet signed.
The move secures the Mountain West’s existence into the future after Pac-12 took five MW schools in the past two weeks amid its rebuild. The Pac-12 added Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State and San Diego State two weeks ago, and Utah State this week.
UNLV and Air Force originally planned to commit to an eight-member binding agreement this week, until Utah State’s jump temporarily blew that up. The Pac-12 has been interested in Air Force and UNLV, as has the American Athletic Conference.
Instead, the Mountain West’s promise of a big payday was enough to keep the group together. The MW has almost $150 million due its way through exit fees (around $18 million per departing member) and poaching fees ($55 million). Air Force and UNLV are set to receive upwards of $25 million each from that pool.
However, the Pac-12 has sued the Mountain West over the legality of the poaching fees, which are part of an agreement the conferences signed last year. The total number due to MW schools in this new agreement is based on percentages, so the total number could change depending on that legal resolution.
The move leaves the Pac-12 at seven full members for 2026, needing to still get to eight. The Mountain West, currently at six full members, will also need to get to eight within two years of dropping below that threshold if it is unable to add two additional teams.
Within the Football Bowl Subdivision, UTEP, New Mexico State and Texas State are among the schools that could be targeted by the Pac-12 or Mountain West. Tarleton State, Sacramento State and North Dakota State could be among the options from the Football Championship Subdivision.
(Photo: Isaiah J. Downing / USA Today)
