Big West Has More Plans for Expansion

The Big West Conference, which added four new member schools after Nevada Las Vegas and San Jose State decided to move to the Western Athletic Conference, isn’t finished with expansion.

The conference Tuesday announced plans to add four teams over the next several years. Commissioner Dennis Farrell said no specific time has been set to complete the expansion, but added that the plan is to add two schools that would play Division I-A football and two that would not.

Farrell declined to speculate on potential new members, but said an expansion committee would be formed.

Newcomers Boise State, Idaho, North Texas and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo will begin competing in the conference this fall.

The conference has been realigned into two divisions. The Eastern Division is made up of the six schools with Division I-A football programs: Boise State, Idaho, North Texas, Nevada, New Mexico State and Utah State. The Western Division is made up of UC Irvine, Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, UC Santa Barbara, Pacific and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

“The initial impetus to considering further expansion was the decision by Pacific in December to drop football,” Farrell said. “We were concerned to have only six football-playing schools and that brought us to the table to begin with. But this is the first time we’ve developed a long-term strategy without responding to other developments.”

Farrell said the conference wants to strengthen “all the sports,” although football spurred the initial discussions.

He took note that associate members will be used in baseball and softball next season, with Sacramento State competing in baseball and softball, and Cal State Northridge in softball. “We’d like to eventually get out of the associate member business, and have our own members competing in those sports,” Farrell said.

Farrell said the four teams in the proposed expansion would not necessarily have to join the league at the same time. “We might consider doing it in increments if that seems the most appropriate way,” he said.

Farrell said there was no concern about other teams leaving the conference. “One of the things that has happened is that the presidents have stepped up and made a strong commitment to the conference,” he said.