Official announcements from Mountain West or Northern Illinois

Mountain West Updates Retention Bonuses, UNLV Gets 24.5%, Eyes Expansion

Sep 28, 2024, 07:35 PM

The Mountain West Conference has updated its retention bonuses and financial incentives for member schools. Air Force and UNLV will receive 24.5% each, while Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, and Wyoming will each get 11.5%. Hawaii will receive 5%. UNLV is set to receive a lump sum of $10-14 million in 2025 and annual payments of $1.5-1.8 million over six years starting in July 2026. The conference is also planning to expand, targeting Northern Illinois and Toledo as football-only members and Texas State for all sports. UNLV has reaffirmed its commitment to the Mountain West despite interest from the Pac-12. Seven Mountain West schools, including UNLV, have agreed to remain in the league, stabilizing the conference amid realignment efforts. Nevada will get 11.5% of the $145 million in poaching and exit fees collected, though the actual amount is expected to be smaller. UNLV's Athletic Director Erick Harper stated the school's goal remains to join a Power 4 conference. Tom Burman noted that the schools will work with Mountain West leadership to add new members starting July 1, 2026.