BroadwayVik
Active member
Here are the highlights from the call, which lasted nearly 90 minutes.
* In opening statement, Benson calls moves by Nevada and Fresno State “selfish actions.”
* Says WAC will pursue current FBS and FCS schools for expansion options.
* Says Nevada did not sign binding agreement but that UN president Milt Glick agreed to the agreement in subsequent call with Benson. WAC legal counsel thinks Reno campus will be held to the verbal agreement.
* Thinks there’s an opportunity to structure an arrangement that would allow BYU to be part of the WAC in some form.
* Says discussions with BYU began in July.
* Binding agreement introduced to WAC board a week ago Monday — knowing that if the BYU piece fell into place that the MWC might make a run at existing WAC members: “We took that action to deter a school from accepting an invitation from the Mountain West.
* “I don’t think at this juncture we’re prepared to rule out non-football members.”
* Eight schools is the goal to re-establishing the football structure.
* Transition period from FCS schools making the jump to FBS. “We’re going to focus on trying to identify current FBS members … and had discussions with other FBS schools that are within the WAC footprint.”
*Learned of decisions by FSU and Nevada at 5 p.m. yesterday on three-way teleconference with the school presidents.
* On moves by FSU and Nevada: ”The other six WAC board members were under the belief that the action taken by the eight schools last Friday indicated a willingness to move this forward knowing the potential outcome would have included BYU and would have stabilized the WAC. On Friday, there was expressed solidarity and four days later there was a departure.”
* WAC expects $5 million payments from Nevada and Fresno State within 60 days.
* Nevada and FSU failed to meet the WAC’s July 1 deadline to leave after the 2010-11 school year. “At this juncture, I would expect the to WAC enforce participation in the 2011 season.”
* Is WAC still alive as an option for BYU? “I would hope that’s the case.”
* On the remaining members: “I believe strongly that the six schools that are left are in better shape than Boise State was when it joined the WAC in 2001.”
* “In preliminary discussion about what the arrangement (with BYU) would look like, we were looking at four-to-six football games per year that we would provide.”
* WAC would not seek any legal action against BYU if the Cougars don’t join in all sports save football.
* On apparent predatory relationship between WAC and MWC: “Craig (Thompson) has a job to do, and I have a job to do … I don’t look at it as necessarily predatory. In today’s intercollegiate environment, it has become fairly routine.”
* MWC’s move “certainly did not surprise me … and was the reason we adopted the binding agreement last Friday.”
* Six members required for NCAA championship events (i.e., March Madness) but seat at BCS table is probably subject for review.
* Moratorium on FCS schools moving to FBS expires next summer. Schools would apply to NCAA next June and be eligible for bowl games in second year of FBS play. In other words: new WAC members (coming from FCS) would be eligible for its bowl games in 2013.
* “There are schools in the WAC footprint that could be the next Boise State.”
* Asked about UC Davis and Sacramento State (and Poly) as candidates: “They have components that would allow them to make the move if they decided. We’ve had conversations with those schools in the past. Whether this is the time, those are institutional decisions … The WAC would look at them as potential candidates.”
* On the departure penalty: “I wish at this time that I would have made it $20 million.”
* On current ESPN contract: “It’s subject to renegotiation. At some point, once the dust settles … we’ll sit down with ESPN and determine what the terms of the contract will be.”
* Had a conference call this morning with remaining six members and believes there is support to move forward. But schools will ultimately act “in their best interest.”
* “In my opinion, it was very clear that Fresno State and Nevada invitations a direct result of BYU’s interest in going independent and going into the WAC.”
* Is the WAC’s survival in jeopardy? “Absolutely not. We have the commitments from the presidents and chancellors that they are prepared to move forward under the WAC umbrella.”
* On Louisiana Tech jumping to C-USA: “We’ve known Conference USA would be a better geographic fit … Our dependency on Louisana Tech more of a priority. (It) has become an even more valuable member of the WAC.”
* “Good assumption” that the WAC will pursue eastern schools in order to provide good geographic fits for LaTech.
* Nevada and Fresno State won’t be eligible for their revenue distributions following the 2011-12 season.
* Earliest WAC would add new members is 2012.
* On Texas-San Antonio (a football startup) as possible addition: “I’m sure they will be on our list. Texas State has also been a school that has shown tremendous potential.”
* Was the binding agreement actually signed? “There are seven signed agreements in a file in the WAC office.” (Nevada is the exception.) Remaining six schools are not bound by it.
* On Montana jumping to FBS: “(It) would be another prospective candidate.”
* Chances of adding anyone for 2011-12: “I don’t think it’s possible.”
* On what, if any role Boise State played in Nevada and Fresno State jumping to the MWC: No comment.
* Asked (by me) about bowl partnerships starting in 2012, after Nevada and Fresno State are gone: They will be “subject to discussions. If you look at what we have in place today, we’re very pleased … The current membership and any future members will have to demonstrated that they have value as bowl participants.” (Note: WAC will have two years left on current bowl agreements in the post-Nevada/FSU world).
* Next year is the first year of increased rights fees from ESPN.
* On his future as WAC commissioner: “I’ve been energized by this process. The possibilities with BYU the last six weeks have been stimulating. Now my goal is to take the six schools that are committed to the WAC and put together another structural change for the WAC.”
* Current membership requirement to be a viable NCAA conference is six. In order to be considered a conference, there must be continuity of membership of five years.
* The $10 million in penalty fees due to Fresno State and Nevada could be used to lure new members.
* Asked (by me) about the possibility of expanding to 12 teams and splitting into eastern and western divisions: “That’s fair, assuming that we get into the central time zone more and that, if we have the right schools and the right numbers, that it would balance the east and west. That’s something we’ve considered in the past” (and, he said, would consider in the future).
* In opening statement, Benson calls moves by Nevada and Fresno State “selfish actions.”
* Says WAC will pursue current FBS and FCS schools for expansion options.
* Says Nevada did not sign binding agreement but that UN president Milt Glick agreed to the agreement in subsequent call with Benson. WAC legal counsel thinks Reno campus will be held to the verbal agreement.
* Thinks there’s an opportunity to structure an arrangement that would allow BYU to be part of the WAC in some form.
* Says discussions with BYU began in July.
* Binding agreement introduced to WAC board a week ago Monday — knowing that if the BYU piece fell into place that the MWC might make a run at existing WAC members: “We took that action to deter a school from accepting an invitation from the Mountain West.
* “I don’t think at this juncture we’re prepared to rule out non-football members.”
* Eight schools is the goal to re-establishing the football structure.
* Transition period from FCS schools making the jump to FBS. “We’re going to focus on trying to identify current FBS members … and had discussions with other FBS schools that are within the WAC footprint.”
*Learned of decisions by FSU and Nevada at 5 p.m. yesterday on three-way teleconference with the school presidents.
* On moves by FSU and Nevada: ”The other six WAC board members were under the belief that the action taken by the eight schools last Friday indicated a willingness to move this forward knowing the potential outcome would have included BYU and would have stabilized the WAC. On Friday, there was expressed solidarity and four days later there was a departure.”
* WAC expects $5 million payments from Nevada and Fresno State within 60 days.
* Nevada and FSU failed to meet the WAC’s July 1 deadline to leave after the 2010-11 school year. “At this juncture, I would expect the to WAC enforce participation in the 2011 season.”
* Is WAC still alive as an option for BYU? “I would hope that’s the case.”
* On the remaining members: “I believe strongly that the six schools that are left are in better shape than Boise State was when it joined the WAC in 2001.”
* “In preliminary discussion about what the arrangement (with BYU) would look like, we were looking at four-to-six football games per year that we would provide.”
* WAC would not seek any legal action against BYU if the Cougars don’t join in all sports save football.
* On apparent predatory relationship between WAC and MWC: “Craig (Thompson) has a job to do, and I have a job to do … I don’t look at it as necessarily predatory. In today’s intercollegiate environment, it has become fairly routine.”
* MWC’s move “certainly did not surprise me … and was the reason we adopted the binding agreement last Friday.”
* Six members required for NCAA championship events (i.e., March Madness) but seat at BCS table is probably subject for review.
* Moratorium on FCS schools moving to FBS expires next summer. Schools would apply to NCAA next June and be eligible for bowl games in second year of FBS play. In other words: new WAC members (coming from FCS) would be eligible for its bowl games in 2013.
* “There are schools in the WAC footprint that could be the next Boise State.”
* Asked about UC Davis and Sacramento State (and Poly) as candidates: “They have components that would allow them to make the move if they decided. We’ve had conversations with those schools in the past. Whether this is the time, those are institutional decisions … The WAC would look at them as potential candidates.”
* On the departure penalty: “I wish at this time that I would have made it $20 million.”
* On current ESPN contract: “It’s subject to renegotiation. At some point, once the dust settles … we’ll sit down with ESPN and determine what the terms of the contract will be.”
* Had a conference call this morning with remaining six members and believes there is support to move forward. But schools will ultimately act “in their best interest.”
* “In my opinion, it was very clear that Fresno State and Nevada invitations a direct result of BYU’s interest in going independent and going into the WAC.”
* Is the WAC’s survival in jeopardy? “Absolutely not. We have the commitments from the presidents and chancellors that they are prepared to move forward under the WAC umbrella.”
* On Louisiana Tech jumping to C-USA: “We’ve known Conference USA would be a better geographic fit … Our dependency on Louisana Tech more of a priority. (It) has become an even more valuable member of the WAC.”
* “Good assumption” that the WAC will pursue eastern schools in order to provide good geographic fits for LaTech.
* Nevada and Fresno State won’t be eligible for their revenue distributions following the 2011-12 season.
* Earliest WAC would add new members is 2012.
* On Texas-San Antonio (a football startup) as possible addition: “I’m sure they will be on our list. Texas State has also been a school that has shown tremendous potential.”
* Was the binding agreement actually signed? “There are seven signed agreements in a file in the WAC office.” (Nevada is the exception.) Remaining six schools are not bound by it.
* On Montana jumping to FBS: “(It) would be another prospective candidate.”
* Chances of adding anyone for 2011-12: “I don’t think it’s possible.”
* On what, if any role Boise State played in Nevada and Fresno State jumping to the MWC: No comment.
* Asked (by me) about bowl partnerships starting in 2012, after Nevada and Fresno State are gone: They will be “subject to discussions. If you look at what we have in place today, we’re very pleased … The current membership and any future members will have to demonstrated that they have value as bowl participants.” (Note: WAC will have two years left on current bowl agreements in the post-Nevada/FSU world).
* Next year is the first year of increased rights fees from ESPN.
* On his future as WAC commissioner: “I’ve been energized by this process. The possibilities with BYU the last six weeks have been stimulating. Now my goal is to take the six schools that are committed to the WAC and put together another structural change for the WAC.”
* Current membership requirement to be a viable NCAA conference is six. In order to be considered a conference, there must be continuity of membership of five years.
* The $10 million in penalty fees due to Fresno State and Nevada could be used to lure new members.
* Asked (by me) about the possibility of expanding to 12 teams and splitting into eastern and western divisions: “That’s fair, assuming that we get into the central time zone more and that, if we have the right schools and the right numbers, that it would balance the east and west. That’s something we’ve considered in the past” (and, he said, would consider in the future).
