Mountain West Reveals Cost-Cutting Moves for 2020-21

The Mountain West Conference Board of Directors has decided to institute some cost-saving measures during the upcoming 2020-21 academic year.

They have chosen to reduce the conference office operating budget by 18 percent. This will diminish travel to events and seminars. All conference staff salaries have been frozen and open positions will not be filled at this time.

The board chose to freeze officiating fees in all sports. They moved all coaches’ meetings, plus the league’s 2020 spring and fall, and 2021 spring meetings to virtual events.

The football and basketball media days are also moving online for the next year. That had been announced earlier.

The conference is eliminating championship tournaments for baseball, men’s and women’s tennis, and soccer. They’re reducing the length of the men’s and women’s indoor track and women’s golf championships from three days to two, while men’s and women’s outdoor track goes from four days to three. Also, the Mountain West will host swimming and diving championships at separate venues on MW campuses over three days.

In a few other moves, they reduced conference baseball and softball series from three days to two, plan to utilize a 16-match modified double-round robin conference schedule in volleyball, and will allow schools to schedule a second non-Division I opponent in men’s basketball.

The board officially lifted the suspension of in-person team athletic activities effective June 1. That ban had been in effect since March 26. They are allowing voluntary in-person workouts for all sports. Schools must follow NCAA, local, state, and campus guidelines. The discretion to allow workouts lies with each institution.

The Board of Directors received an update from the Mountain West Health and Safety Advisory Group. It’s comprised of medical professionals and senior-level administrators from all 12 MW schools. They are guiding the preparation for the return of athletic activities, including competitions, on campuses. The representative from the University of Wyoming is Deputy Director of Athletics, Matt Whisenant.

The board wrapped up its virtual spring meeting on Monday.