In tiny Farmington, Utah, 20 miles north of Salt Lake Metropolis alongside Interstate 15, executives from the Large Sky are pondering that very query.
Will their proud, 61-year-old convention, which thrives within the Soccer Championship Subdivision, be impacted by the identical forces that engorged the SEC and Large Ten, decimated the Pac-12 and restructured so many others?
That shredded the Mountain West final fall, then plucked the most important model from the West Coast Convention, roiled the Large West and, lastly, whacked the WAC this week when Utah Valley introduced it could be a part of the Large West in the summertime of 2026?
The Wolverines are an unlikely participant in a sequence response that began July 30, 2021, when Texas and Oklahoma accepted membership affords from the SEC. However they received’t be the final.
The subsequent transfer may come this week, this month of this summer time. The Pac-12 wants at the least yet another football-playing college. The Mountain West may increase once more.
Both method, the Large Sky is prepared.
“We’re talking about it all the time,” commissioner Tom Wistrcill mentioned. “We had our (conference) meetings last week in Portland. It was a topic of conversation.”
Wistrcill’s feedback got here throughout a current wide-ranging dialog on ‘Canzano and Wilner: The Podcast.” A former administrator within the Large Ten (at Minnesota) and athletic director (Akron), Wistrcill addressed every part from the “coup” orchestrated by the facility conferences to the way forward for the NCAA Event and the state of the Large Sky.
“We do have plans together,” he continued. “It’s sort of a decision-making tree: If this occurs, then we take a look at these three choices; if this occurs, it’s these two choices. We’ve talked via all these …
“We have a good plan together if one of the eight things we think could happen, happen. If Nos. 9 and 10 happen, then we’ll have to adjust. There are just a lot moving pieces that all are coming to a head at the same time.”
These items embody:
— An financial revolution
The Home v. NCAA lawsuit settlement was accepted Friday night by Choose Claudia Wilken. The landmark case created a brand new monetary mannequin for school sports activities. Colleges on the high of FBS soccer will share $20.5 million with athletes starting July 1. (The quantity will enhance over time as revenues soar.) Decrease down the meals chain, the shared quantities will likely be smaller.
— Faculty Soccer Playoff modifications
The 2026 season marks the beginning of a brand new contract cycle for the CFP. The income mannequin was agreed to final spring, however a brand new format will likely be set later this yr. All of it tilts closely in favor of the Large Ten, which favors a format based mostly on computerized qualifiers, and the SEC, which prefers a mannequin that’s heavy on at-large berths.
— Energy Convention management
The Large Ten, SEC, ACC and Large 12 are methodically staking out better management of the panorama. Their most controversial agenda merchandise is growth of the NCAA Event to 72 or 76 groups, however the quartet additionally created (together with the Pac-12) the Faculty Sports activities Fee. The CSC will present oversight of the NIL market, with the objective of eliminating pay-for-play offers funded by booster collectives.
— The switch portal
The supply of a lot roster-management chaos was not impacted by the Home lawsuit settlement. Solely antitrust safety from Congress or a collectively bargained settlement between the colleges and the athletes can finish the lawsuits over eligibility and prohibit participant motion.
(Present labor regulation signifies the gamers would wish to unionize with a view to signal a CBA. However with a view to unionize, they should be declared staff — a step the colleges have so far been loath to take.)
— Western realignment
Nearer to Large Sky headquarters, the Pac-12 and Mountain West have been searching for media rights offers and finalizing their membership buildings for the summer time of 2026.
For each, the method seems to have paused whereas they try to barter two lawsuits with greater than $100 million at stake. On Could 19, they started mediation over the poaching penalty and exit payment instances. Three weeks later, they haven’t resolved the disputes — at the least, they haven’t publicly disclosed a decision.
“One of the attorneys I talked to said it’s highly unusual to have it last this long,” Wistrcill mentioned. “So why is it lasting this lengthy? Clearly, it’s acquired to be about cash. The implications of the choice simply must be so dramatic, someway.
“I get the feeling they’re just staring at each other because a lot happens after that, depending on what the outcome could be.”
If the end result favors the Pac-12, the Mountain West may destabilize as UNLV and Air Power doubtlessly pursue membership within the Pac-12 and American, respectively.
“If the Mountain West loses a bunch of members, they have to decide (if) they want to survive,” Wistrcill mentioned.
“If they want to survive, they could come calling to some Big Sky schools. And that could have a dramatic impact on us.”
May the Mountain West try and backfill with the Montana faculties that assist anchor the Large Sky?
How will Sacramento State’s departure affect the convention? (The Hornets have filed a waiver to turn into an Impartial within the FBS.)
Readability stays elusive as realignment rocks the West 4 years after butterflies flapped their wings in Austin and Norman.
Initially Revealed: June 8, 2025 at 10:00 AM PDT
