REBELS HAVEN’T SHIED AWAY FROM POWERS
played the toughest slate (No. 84), while Fresno State (No. 92), New Mexico (No. 97) and Utah State (No. 99) also sneaked into the top 100.
Thompson said the Mountain West board of directors would play a more active role in scheduling going forward, setting “guidelines” for nonconference opponents.
UNLV is one of the few teams in the league capable of scheduling home games against quality opponents, and the Rebels have played some tough homeand-home series in recent years against programs such as Arizona, Kansas and Oregon. The rest of the league has more difficulty attracting strong opponents, so Thompson wants to see teams get creative when it comes to nonconference scheduling, urging more MWC teams to get into pre-season tournaments and showcases.
“There’s more emphasis placed on road wins and neutral-court wins,” Thompson said, “so one of the things we’re trying to do is get more of our people into these multiteam events and get everybody to play in an exempt event. That’s one of the guidelines we’re asking for.
“You get the best of both worlds,” he continued. “You get to play on a neutral court with a situation where maybe it’s not 50-50, but if you’re playing Arizona in the Bahamas or the Virgin Islands, wouldn’t you rather do that than play them in Tucson?” Thompson also touched on the league’s media contracts and said that the Mountain West was focused on figuring out a way to turn new media platforms into revenue streams.
“Media is a huge issue for us,” Thompson said. “We have three years left in a contract with CBS and ESPN, and we’re trying to work with our athletic directors to determine just how important linear is, how important digital is and how you want to receive that content.”
The league’s current television contracts with ESPN and CBS run through 2020. When those deals are up, the Mountain West could be facing a different media landscape, with streaming networks and other broadcast options to consider.
“I don’t know where it’s going to be three years from now,” Thompson said. “That’s why we’re trying to stay heavily invested and talk to all the people. About as soon as we make the plans, we’ll be back out in the marketplace in 18 months or so and there will be something we’re not even aware of today.” michael.grimala@lasvegassun.com / 702-948-7844 / @Mikegrimala