Notes about UH and the Big West

There is no rush for UH to decide anything before May 31 if Nevada and Fresno State are playing in the WAC next season. Here is what we know that JD has done already:

1. Contacted the Pac-10 before the whole realignment mess started this summer.

It seems clear that they told UH no.

2. Contracted the MWC.

Reports say that they said no, even after JD offered travel subsidies.

3. Contacted the Big West, WCC, and another unnamed conference (I'm guessing that is C-USA).

Reports say that the WCC was not an option for UH. That leaves the Big West if UH wants to go independent.

The articles linked below have said the following about the Big West:

A. The Big West's commissioner said that only UH has contacted them for membership.

B. The Big West has noted that they need to add 1 school in order to have NCAA spots for softball, baseball, and women's volleyball. If you judge by just those 3 sports, UH may be the strongest school in the country.

C. Report says that the Big West says that UH will have to offer some travel subsidy to join. This is in an article about a direct interview with the Big West's commissioner.

D. The Big West's commissioner went on the record saying that any school that wants to join them would be judged by their baseball and women's volleyball programs. UH was in the NCAA tournament in both.

E. There is no rush right now since UH won't have to declare its intentions before May 31. The Big West also has a moratorium on voting on adding any schools until at least January 1.

The foundation has been laid and JD has done all the legwork to give UH the *option* in case the WAC folds or UH decides to leave. How UH does this season, and how valuable ESPN feels a TV contract with UH might be, may determine what is best for UH.


Long Beach Post article (12/13/10) that says that UH's travel subsidy to the Big West comes out to $500 per athlete traveling to Hawaii:
http://www.lbpost.com/sports/drdan/10794


Nice update on 12/2/10 concerning the situation with the MWC and the Big West. The article states that the agreement between the MWC and UH could come as early as before Christmas. The 2 big things that have not been agree to is the "cost sharing" (travel subsidy) and the TV situation:
http://www.staradvertiser.com/sports/sportsnews/20101202_UH_could_be_in_MWC_by_Christmas.html


Nice update on the UH-Big West situation in the 11/28/10 edition of HSA:
http://www.staradvertiser.com/sports/sportsnews/20101128_Who_are_these_guys.html


Three schools are looking to join the Big West:
http://www.staradvertiser.com/sports/sportsnews/20101128_Hawaii_one_of_three_schools_looking_to_join_Big_West.html


Long Beach State student paper talks about how the Big West would benefit from adding UH. The article notes that during 2008-09, UH spent $3.7 million on travel expenses and Long Beach State spent $868k on travel expenses:
http://www.daily49er.com/sports/lbsu-s-gimmillaro-big-west-would-benefit-from-hawaii-1.2354295


Dave Reardon says that "we have it on good authority the Big West eagerly awaits Hawaii"
http://www.staradvertiser.com/columnists/furtherreview/20101001_As_the_WAC_gets_less_western_its_time_for_UH_to_get_out.html


UH's coaches have told UH's Athletic Department that they prefer the Big West over the WAC:
http://www.staradvertiser.com/sports/sportsnews/20100930_UH_coaches_favor_Big_West.html


Honolulu Star-Advertiser article that estimates the travel subsidy that UH will have to be at $250k. The article also quotes a Big West AD who is very interested in adding UH:
http://www.staradvertiser.com/columnists/ferdswords/20100923_Womens_volleyball_should_have_a_big_say_in_where_UH_ends_up.html


Long Beach Press-Telegram article about how the Big West would want UH to provide travel subsidies to be added. It also mentions how they need to add school that emphasize the sports the conference emphasizes, specifically mentioning women's volleyball and baseball.
http://www.presstelegram.com/moresports/ci_15967186


ESPN article about how UH has talked to the Big West about adding its non-football sports if UH goes independent in football. ESPN mentions that UH is attractive to the Big west for men's and women's basketball, and adding UH to the Big West would give the Big West the needed 6 members for an automatic berth. The article also mentions that UH is the only WAC school that has contacted the Big West:
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/blog/_/name/katz_andy/id/5492091


Honolulu Star-Advertiser article about how the Big West's commissioner said that UH has a great history with the Big West and they have a great affinity for the UH program and people over the years:
http://www.staradvertiser.com/sports/sportsnews/20100825_UH_making_contacts_with_WCC_Big_West.html


Honolulu Star-Advertiser article about how JD contacted both Army and Navy and they have responded positively to the prospect of playing UH during the middle of the conference season part of the schedule. JD also contacted Notre Dame about a home-and-home deal--I'm guessing this would be doing the conference part of the schedule (Notre Dame is playing Western Michigan and Tulsa this year during conference season...not the most attractive matchups):
http://www.staradvertiser.com/sports/sportsnews/20100902_UH_ponders_possible_moves.html#axzz0yNbOK0TX