Pac-12 leaders are mobilizing in search of more expansion members after a group of American Athletic Conference schools decided to reject the league’s interest in joining, likely resulting in a pivot back to the West.
Conference leaders, as well as their consulting firm Navigate, are meeting Monday to discuss other potential expansion options, including an effort to target Mountain West members Utah State and UNLV, as well as an ongoing discussion with basketball powerhouse Gonzaga.
The clock is ticking, though. The Mountain West is in a proverbial race to secure its membership with financial incentives, much of which stem from the expected exit fines and penalties owed to the league by schools that left for the Pac-12. Exit fines and penalties are expected to top $120 million.
The Mountain West is proposing a tiered distribution of wealth, with each member receiving a financial boost. In fact, the Air Force Academy has already signed the deal with the league. The academy is expected to receive a signing bonus of at least $10 million, sources told Yahoo Sports. At least one other school, UNLV, is expected to receive a similar financial bonus.
Commissioner Gloria Nevarez has set a 5 p.m. Rocky Mountain time deadline to sign the agreement as the Pac-12 races to potentially attract more members.
The Pac-12, which is a two-school league for now, needs to reach eight full members by the summer of 2026 to meet NCAA conference requirements. In an effort to rebuild the conference, Oregon State and Washington State executed the first phase of a multi-step expansion effort last week, adding Boise State, San Diego State, Colorado State and Fresno State. The teams will join the league in July 2026 and each owes the Mountain West an exit fee of at least $17 million.
The Pac-12 candidate pool is shrinking. As of 3:30 p.m. MT, Utah State, San Jose State, Nevada and UNLV had not signed the Mountain West deal. UNLV and Utah State officials have seen the Pac-12 expansion presentation, something Yahoo Sports reported on last week.
While the expectation is that those two will be the Pac-12’s top targets, it’s unclear whether a deal can be reached, especially given the situation in the state of Nevada, where politics are at play.
The Nevada System of Higher Education and its board of regents govern both schools and must approve decisions related to conference membership. The state’s current governor, Joe Lombardo, is a UNLV graduate. University of Nevada-Reno President Brian Sandoval is a two-term state governor and enjoys respect and power among the regents.
