San Diego State to Stay in Mountain West, Obtain $6.6M Initially Withheld After Determination to Depart

LAS VEGAS (AP) — San Diego State not solely stays within the Mountain West, the Aztecs are getting the cash that was withheld after they initially knowledgeable the convention of their intention to depart.

The Mountain West will present the $6.6 million that was withheld, however San Diego State is chargeable for paying the convention’s authorized charges related to the matter, first-year commissioner Gloria Nevarez mentioned Wednesday on the convention’s soccer media days.

“I feel my overarching philosophy to the complete factor is San Diego State is a constructive to the Mountain West,” Nevarez mentioned. “We’re higher with San Diego State, and I be ok with the place we landed.”

Nevarez, nevertheless, is aware of this might be a short lived association and acknowledged the Aztecs may nonetheless depart sooner or later ought to the Pac-12 or Huge 12 come calling. They’re dedicated for the following two years.

When requested if the Mountain West had staved off any defections or raids, she mentioned, “I imply in the present day, yeah. Tomorrow? Who is aware of, proper? It is continually altering, however I actually be ok with the place we’re as a league and maintaining San Diego State for this yr. And even when it is simply one other yr, that is simply good for (the convention).”

The Aztecs are the convention energy in basketball and earlier this yr made the nationwide championship sport before losing to UConn. Additionally they are often one of many high contenders for the league soccer title, having gone a minimum of .500 for 13 consecutive seasons, posting successful data 12 of these years.

“Based mostly on what they did in basketball this yr and what they’ve achieved in soccer over time, they’re good for the convention,” UNLV athletic director Erick Harper mentioned. “For us, selfishly, once they come right here, our crowds are higher whether or not it’s soccer or basketball.”

San Diego State President Adela de la Torre wrote a letter final month that the college supposed to resign from the convention, however requested for a one-month extension as a result of the exit payment would have roughly doubled to about $34 million. The Aztecs did not have an invite from the Pac-12, although that league is believed to have San Diego State on its enlargement record with USC and UCLA leaving after this yr for the Huge Ten.

The Pac-12 is making an attempt to get its media-rights deal finalized earlier than contemplating enlargement, and stories this week mentioned the convention is not going to announce a brand new contract by Friday’s soccer media day.

San Diego State and the Mountain West went back-and-forth after de la Torre’s letter. Although the Aztecs insisted they weren’t leaving the convention, the Mountain West took a hard-line stance with one of many league’s founding establishments.

That posture softened significantly this week, and Nevarez mentioned her impression is the opposite convention colleges are prepared to maneuver on.

“I feel from my perspective, it is fairly pragmatic,” she mentioned. “We all know we’re higher with them within the league, however we all know every of them on their very own campus are having to look out for his or her finest pursuits.”

Fresno State athletic director Terry Tumey agreed it is time to look ahead, and he mentioned he was significantly excited to maintain San Diego State as a result of it’s a fellow member of the California State College system.

“If you happen to’re serving your establishment properly, you’re going to all the time take a look at all choices and all of us acknowledge that,” Tumey mentioned. “Would you might have thought three years in the past that you’d see UCLA and USC being within the Huge Ten otherwise you would see BYU miraculously swiftly now within the Huge 12? Houston, who had been principally exiled by Oklahoma and Texas for years, they’ve all the time ought to have been within the Huge 12.

“It is only a completely different world.”

Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This materials will not be printed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.