UTEP's CUSA Entrance and WAC Departure Expenses
Posted: Sat May 01, 2004 8:53 amTexas-El Paso joins Conference USA
By CHRIS ROBERTS, Associated Press Writer
April 30, 2004
EL PASO, Texas (AP) -- After 36 years in the Western Athletic Conference, Texas-El Paso on Friday accepted an offer to join Conference USA.
It will officially change conferences on July 1, 2005. UTEP joins Tulsa, Rice and SMU, all former WAC members that previously accepted offers to join C-USA.
``We look forward to continuing to compete in the Dallas and Houston areas, where there are large concentrations of UTEP alumni who have enjoyed following our teams,'' said UTEP President Diana Natalicio.
UTEP athletic director Bob Stull said the move will put the school in a more stable conference and bolster the Miners' recruiting in Texas, where it expends the majority of its efforts.
Stull said UTEP will pay $1 million into a C-USA reserve account and $200,000 per year for the next five years out of its conference revenues as an entry fee. UTEP also will forfeit about $600,000 in WAC revenues for next year. However, Stull said the annual revenues from C-USA are expected to be greater than in the WAC.
``We'll probably be able to break even over those five years,'' Stull said.
C-USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky said UTEP was asked to join because of its support for the athletic program, which includes a recent investment in a $9 million training facility and good attendance at football and basketball games.
UTEP joined the WAC in September 1967, five years after the conference was formed. The membership offer came one year after the Miners won the NCAA basketball championship under Hall of Fame coach Don Haskins.
The WAC took a serious hit in June 1999, when Air Force, BYU, Colorado State, UNLV, New Mexico, San Diego State, Utah and Wyoming withdrew to form the Mountain West Conference. The possibility still exists that other WAC members will join the Mountain West should it decide to expand.
In 2001, TCU left the WAC for C-USA. However, TCU accepted an offer from the Mountain West to become its ninth member.
In late 2003, shortly after C-USA lost five schools -- Cincinnati, DePaul, Louisville, Marquette and South Florida to the Big East -- the conference added Central Florida, Marshall, Rice, SMU and Tulsa. Those five schools also officially become part of C-USA on July 1, 2005.
By CHRIS ROBERTS, Associated Press Writer
April 30, 2004
EL PASO, Texas (AP) -- After 36 years in the Western Athletic Conference, Texas-El Paso on Friday accepted an offer to join Conference USA.
It will officially change conferences on July 1, 2005. UTEP joins Tulsa, Rice and SMU, all former WAC members that previously accepted offers to join C-USA.
``We look forward to continuing to compete in the Dallas and Houston areas, where there are large concentrations of UTEP alumni who have enjoyed following our teams,'' said UTEP President Diana Natalicio.
UTEP athletic director Bob Stull said the move will put the school in a more stable conference and bolster the Miners' recruiting in Texas, where it expends the majority of its efforts.
Stull said UTEP will pay $1 million into a C-USA reserve account and $200,000 per year for the next five years out of its conference revenues as an entry fee. UTEP also will forfeit about $600,000 in WAC revenues for next year. However, Stull said the annual revenues from C-USA are expected to be greater than in the WAC.
``We'll probably be able to break even over those five years,'' Stull said.
C-USA Commissioner Britton Banowsky said UTEP was asked to join because of its support for the athletic program, which includes a recent investment in a $9 million training facility and good attendance at football and basketball games.
UTEP joined the WAC in September 1967, five years after the conference was formed. The membership offer came one year after the Miners won the NCAA basketball championship under Hall of Fame coach Don Haskins.
The WAC took a serious hit in June 1999, when Air Force, BYU, Colorado State, UNLV, New Mexico, San Diego State, Utah and Wyoming withdrew to form the Mountain West Conference. The possibility still exists that other WAC members will join the Mountain West should it decide to expand.
In 2001, TCU left the WAC for C-USA. However, TCU accepted an offer from the Mountain West to become its ninth member.
In late 2003, shortly after C-USA lost five schools -- Cincinnati, DePaul, Louisville, Marquette and South Florida to the Big East -- the conference added Central Florida, Marshall, Rice, SMU and Tulsa. Those five schools also officially become part of C-USA on July 1, 2005.
