San Diego State ‘Intends To Resign From Mountain West,’ Per Reports
San Diego State ‘Intends To Resign From Mountain West,’ Per Reports
Aztecs on the move?
Contact/Follow @JeremyMauss & @MWCwire
Last Stand for San Diego State?
San Diego State has been preparing for a move to a Power 5 conference for years. They have a brand new stadium, and success on the field since 2010 where the only year they didn’t go to a bowl game was the 2020 COVID-19 season.
The news of San Diego State to the Pac-12 has been a terrible secret. The only hold-up was a media rights deal — one that is still not yet in place for the Conference of Champions.
However, this tweet from Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellingers sums it up accurately.
(A note: No school receives an *invite* to a conference until that school joins that conference; just like no coach ever in the history of sports receives an *offer* of a job unless that coach accepts that job) pic.twitter.com/gnr001ndfa
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) June 16, 2023
In John Conzano’s substack, he notes that San Diego State athletics director J.D. Wicker at an event for season-ticket holders that the time is getting close.
“We’re almost there,” he half-joked on Thursday night, checking his wristwatch. “We have approximately 15 days left in this year so I’m hopeful we’ll finish checking those boxes.”
Wicker seeming optimistic is the right call with those comments made Thursday night which was two days after the June 13th letter was sent to the conference with notice that the Aztecs were looking at leaving.
ESPN’s Pete Thamel has more on that letter and is reporting that San Diego State. has sent the Mountain West a letter which says that they “intend to resign” from the league.
Sources: San Diego State gave the Mountain West written notice this week that the school “intends to resign from the Mountain West Conference.” SDSU asked the Mountain West for a “one-month extension given unforeseen delays involving other collegiate athletic conferences beyond…
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) June 16, 2023
It should be noted that there is no offer on the table for the Aztecs to join the Pac-12, or any other conference for that matter.
This is all in a build up to June 30 which is a deadline that will cost San Diego State millions if they stay or go. If the Aztecs exit the Mountain West on or before June 30, then the exit fee is $17 million.
However, if they make a decision on July 1 or later and the intention is to play in a new league for 2024, then it doubles to $34 million.
The letter that was sent to the conference was not one with 100% saying San Diego State would leave the league. The key word is “intend” which is much different than announcing they are officially leaving the Mountain West.
Here is where things get interesting. In Thamel’s full article, the Aztecs are asking for some leeway, per his source.
In the letter, they asked the Mountain West for a “one-month extension given unforeseen delays involving other collegiate athletic conferences beyond our control.
“SDSU is exploring all of the options and asking all the questions,” the source said. “The intention of the June 13 letter wasn’t that San Diego State is exiting.”
While it is true that San Diego State has no control over what the Pac-12 new media rights deal will be. That is not of importance to the Mountain West or new commissioner Gloria Nevarez.
Giving the Aztecs a month extension to decide is San Diego State wanting it both ways. This would allow the Aztecs to go to the Pac-12 and pay half of the exit fee to the Mountain West or even remain in the league if there is no invite.
Everyone knows that the obvious reason is for San Diego State to save a boat load of money.
Getting $17 million is nice but going up to $34 million is a whole lot nicer to split among the 10 full-time members and Hawaii football.
Should the Mountain West give San Diego State a month long extension while the Pac-12 figures out if they will add the Aztecs?
— Mountain West Wire (@MWCwire) June 16, 2023
Also, assuming San Diego State does go to the Pac-12, they would be able to recoup $34 million reasonbly soon.
Obviously, the details depend on their percentage of shares starting in the league and what the ultimate media rights deal could be. Reports are around the same as the Big 12, if not more, which could be just north of $30 million, annually.
This is a big decision for the Mountain West to make. The Aztecs are a founding member of the conference but this would be the second time in its existence in the league to try to jump ship.
San Diego State was going to join Boise State in a football-only option in the Big East — other sports were to play in the Big West — but the league had to drop football. The Aztecs had to reapply to join the conference which was accepted.
How Will The Mountain West Respond?
The Mountain West received the letter and immediately started withdrawl information but it wasn’t until San Diego State reached out to request a one-month extension.
One reason the Aztecs wanted to get the extension is because a $6 million check is due to league members and part of leaving the league is using that money toward an exit fee.
Will the Mountain West grant San Diego State's request to extend the exit deadline of June 30 thru July?
Let's just say that… it is not expected to grant such a request, per several officials who spoke to @SINow (as expected).
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) June 16, 2023
A Mountain West source told Thamel about the exchange and it seems the league is going to play a bit of hardball.
“They’re trying to find out what we’re willing to do,” said the Mountain West source. “They want to see if the Mountain West Conference is going to handle this nicely. Well, that’s not going to happen. Everyone wants to find the best financial path for themselves, and it’s clunky.”
Thamel also reported that on Thursday the conference held a call among athletic directors going over the exchange.
It would be clunky and the conference has Nevarez in charge since Craig Thompson recently resigned. This decision is huge as it could net the league a lot of money. However, the conference could also get burnt a second time from San Diego State who had those now-defunct plans to join the Big East.
The Mountain West should do what’s best for them. What is the point of giving a member who looks to be leaving special treatment with millions upon millions on the table?
The conference needs to tell San Diego State that the deadline is June 30 becuase their league has business to go through and it is not the Mountain West’s problem that the Pac-12 doesn’t have their ducks in a row.
The Mountain West wants to be the best Group of Five league and while San Diego State has done wonders in the conference, but if they leave having $34 million would go a long way in helping other schools athletic departments.
