New State of Big West: An All-California League?

By CHRIS FOSTER

Sept. 16, 1999 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

Shuffling in the Big West Conference might result in an all-California, non-football playing alignment as early as next fall, a high-ranking conference source said this week.

Cal State Northridge, UC Riverside and Sacramento State are being courted by conference officials, who are preparing for the likelihood that as many as three Big West schools will join another league in restructuring that could start in the next few weeks.

Presidents from Conference USA schools are expected to discuss expansion that will likely involve Western Athletic Conference schools Southern Methodist and Texas Christian, creating a domino effect that would probably end with at least one and possibly three Big West schools moving to the WAC.

Boise State, Utah State and New Mexico State lobbied to join the WAC last spring, when Nevada announced it would move to that conference from the Big West at the beginning of the 2000-2001 school year.

“I recognize that the California schools have their own vision about where their conference will be in the future,” Big West Commissioner Dennis Farrell said this week. “In light of the possibility of the WAC doing something in response to Conference USA taking TCU and SMU, I have been working with our schools to help them secure a future for their football programs, be it in the WAC or Sun Belt Conference.”

Farrell would not elaborate, but a conference source said Big West officials already have talked to Northridge and Sacramento of the Big Sky Conference and Riverside from the Division II California Collegiate Athletic Assn.

Northridge Athletic Director Dick Dull acknowledged that the Big West might one day be an option for Northridge, but said no formal discussions have taken place between Northridge and the Big West.

“There have been informal discussions, but nothing of concrete substance,” Dull said. “I’ve spoken with people in that conference as far as about what is going on. I speak with a lot of people for informational purposes.”

Sources said Boise State will be asked to join the WAC should SMU and TCU go to Conference USA. One or more additional Big West schools might also be asked to join.

“We looked at the colleges in the Big West and the [Division I-A] independents in the West last year,” WAC Commissioner Karl Benson said. “We hope that TCU and SMU decide to remain in the WAC, but we have looked into other options.”

SMU officials met with Conference USA Commissioner Mike Slive on Monday. TCU officials met with him last week.

Presidents from Conference USA schools will discuss expansion Sept. 23 in a conference call, assistant commissioner Brian Teeter said. An announcement could come then or at the presidents’ meeting, Oct. 11 in New York.

Schools must give one year notice before leaving a conference, but that provision can be waived provided all parties agree. Getting unanimous approval would seem unlikely, considering it could involve up to nine schools and four conferences. Still, plans are being made.

“We will not get caught off-guard,” Farrell said. “We will be ready to move into action as soon as something happens.

“My goal is to help both the California and football schools find a stable and secure future for their programs.”

A rift has developed in recent years between the Big West’s six California schools, none of which play Division I-A football, and the other schools, which make up a six-team football conference.

Long Beach State President Robert Maxson has pushed for the Big West to be exclusively California schools. Cal State Fullerton, Long Beach State, UC Irvine, Pacific, UC Santa Barbara and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo currently comprise the conference’s Western Division.

“I think it’s very appealing to have all the California schools in one conference,” Maxson said. “We all have similar strengths. We’re sitting on the mother lode when it comes to sports like basketball, baseball, volleyball, water polo and track.

“You can’t find a better rivalry in America than Long Beach State-Fullerton baseball. We just have to agree on some way to highlight our strengths. We’re not shoving anybody out the door. But I do think the situation is fragile, and I do think we need to figure out what’s best for every institution.”

While Boise State, Utah State and New Mexico State have worked to join the WAC, North Texas officials have discussed joining the Sun Belt Conference, which is considering adding football. Idaho is also searching for a new home.

Sacramento, which plays in the Big West only in baseball, and Northridge have Division I-AA football programs. If they joined the Big West, the schools would have the option of maintaining their programs as independents or as affiliates in other conferences. Or they might choose to drop football.

Northridge already has been warned by the Big Sky that it must dramatically improve its on-campus stadium to remain in that conference. But Dull has steadfastly denied rumors that his school will drop football.

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, another recent addition to the Big West, plays football as a Division I-AA independent.

Big West officials are still discussing whether to have an eight- or nine-school conference.

“Northridge and Riverside would join tomorrow if asked,” a conference source said.

Said Farrell: “We are waiting for the dust to settle before deciding on the changes that are going to occur in our conference realignment. Everyone would like to get on with the future.”

Staff writer Vince Kowalick contributed to this story.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Realignment for Big West

Many in the Big West are hoping to restructure the conference into an all-California, non-football conference. The change could come as early as next fall, but more likely in a few years, if all the pieces fall into place.

The Way it Is...

Boise State

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Cal State Fullerton

Idaho

Long Beach State

Nevada

New Mexico State

North Texas

Pacific

UC Irvine

UC Santa Barbara