MWC commissioner: ‘Things are moving pretty quickly’ towards new media rights deal

Signs are pointing towards the Mountain West Conference soon signing a new media rights deal.

Conference commissioner Gloria Nevarez recently spoke about the progress being made.

“Things are moving pretty quickly now,” Nevarez said, per Ed Graney of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “Near the end, things get a lot more detailed. You really get into the nuances of (the deal). You really drill down into the details of the contract.”

This report comes on the heels of the Pac-12 signing its new media deal. Five schools presently in the MWC — Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Utah State — are scheduled to join the Pac-12 for the 2026-27 school year. Gonzaga, presently in the West Coast Conference, will also join the Pac-12 for basketball.

Graney noted the similarities between the Pac-12’s new deal and the one the Mountain West Conference has had in place for the last several seasons.

“That deal, ironically, seems eerily similar to the Mountain West’s for the past six years. Maybe because it is,” Graney wrote. “CBS will be the primary broadcast partner of the Pac-12 and will televise the league’s football and men’s basketball championships. CBS Sports Network, as with the Mountain West, will also televise games.”

Despite the conference’s changing face, Nevarez was upbeat about the MWC’s future.

“We’re really excited about the new-look Mountain West and certainly have surfed these challenges before and continue to help schools elevate and get better,” she said, per Graney. “I’m optimistic about our (new media rights deal). Obviously, everyone wants more, but I think what we’re going to end up with is going to be very good for the Mountain West.”