Mountain West Football: What We Learned From Craig Thompson’s Press Conference
The Mountain West Conference commissioner sat down with media to talk television deals, realignment, and more.
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The commish speaks.
Mountain West Conference commissioner Craig Thompson sat down and helped open media days in Las Vegas with a wide-ranging discussion of pressing issues facing the conference.
Television
In short, Thompson expressed confidence that the Mountain West would find a satisfactory television deal which would help the conference earn more money while remaining agile as others, namely the American, have locked themselves into decade-plus contracts:
The last quote McMurray includes is perhaps what has prompted the Mountain West to keep its options open whenever possible, especially in the face of declining attendance across the conference. Time and money demands have clearly shifted in the late part of this decade (and, no, it’s isn’t just because of millennials and their gosh-danged phones), but it also appears that keeping eyeballs on games by whatever means present themselves is something that the Mountain West intends to keep doing:
In the increasingly fractured streaming landscape, however, it’s difficult to tell whether the conference will be able to stream on one service or continue on the same path which has seen games on Facebook, Stadium, AT&T Sports Net, ESPN (and, by extension, Hulu live television and the like) and CBS Sports Network.
Imagine Mountain West football and Picard together, though. CBS All-Access, we’re looking at you.
As with the conference’s most recent TV deal, however, Boise State remains in a position where its home slate will be negotiated separately. Hawaii’s TV schedule will also continue to be resolved apart from the larger deal, as well.
Conference realignment
Despite rumblings that the AAC may elect to raid the Mountain West for a 12th member, Thompson suggested that there’s nothing to see on this front:
Bowl Season
This season may not be ideal for every eligible Mountain West team to find a landing spot in bowl season, but don’t expect that to be the case going forward:
College Football Playoff
Recent rumors have suggested another round of talks may take place in the near future to discuss expanding the CFP, but Thompson appeared to throw cold water on that idea:
