Overview of Karl Benson WAC Press Conference After MWC Raid

I am doing a post right now with updates at The Official WAC on Life Support What Happens To Louisiana Tech Post.

I posted this there as I was listening to the comments. Here is how it went down as I was listening to it. I copied some tweets and stuff from the Tech board as they too were listening to save time typing so I did not miss anything

his big points:

-BYU was thinking about football independence and contacted WAC about joining in all other sports. Discussions started in early July. They were talking about scheduling.

-Benson said the buyout deal was set up to prevent or deter the MWC from reacting to BYU news by raiding (which happened)

- "We hope there is still a possiblity to structure an arrangement to allow BYU to be a part of the WAC in some shape or form."

-you have to have 8 football playing teams to have a conference

-"The other 6 WAC board members were under the belief that the action taken last Friday indicated a desire to move forward."

-Buyout Clause:(Benson) It is a $5 million penalty. Legal counsel says it is enforceable. Payments expected by Fresno and Nevada within 60 days.

-Benson says Nevada still owes them $5 M

- "We're going to focus on current FBS schools that don't have to go through" the FCS transition period. (OUCH!!!)

-WAC lawyers thinks oral agreement for $5M buyout penalty is enforceable

- s Fresno and Nevada failed to meet deadline of July 1 he expects both in 10-11 season seasons

-Benson "hopes" BYU is still alive as a player in the WAC

-reporter: "Do you have any idea what BYU's going to do?" Benson: "No." So we're all in the same boat.

-Benson's serious on money and exit date.

-No conservation with BYU since the 2 schools decided to leave the WAC. (WHAT?)

-Benson keep talking of BYU sometimes in the past tense

-IF BYU deal stands Benson IMHO Doesn't sound too confident about them playing 4 to 6 teams)

-Is 120 teams too many to play at FBS?

(Benson) 20 more teams in last 15 years in Division I-A (FBS). We (FBS) are close to maxing out.

-Benson says he will renegotiate a TV deal with ESPN

-Benson says he wishes he'd made the buyout $20 million ( I imagine so)

-at this time Hawaii and remaining six schools have support to move forward together.

-Cal Poly, Sac St., Cal-Davis are possible options

- says the WAC will survive. He says the conference will be successful in the future.

-WAC Accounts Payable has billed Nevada and Fresno State payable 60 days.

-there was a Conference call with the 6 remaining schools earlier this morning.

-says people have called their offices today looking to be part of the WAC (glad it was not yesterday since nobody seemed home)

- Benson says he has spoken with Texas-San Antonio and Texas State

-on issue if Tech going to CUSA: Benson - we value Tech over the past 10 years. We've known that geographically CUSA would be a better fit but we will deal with that if the time comes.



-Said that La Tech is now a critical member of the new WAC. WAC would try to expand eastward to appease Tech. (The first bit of good news for Tech I have heard in this)

-The remaining 6 schools are NOT bound by the 5M contract!! -

-Karl Benson says he has spoken with Texas-San Antonio and Texas State

-WAC board of directors will vote on how the ten million dollars is spent

- admits the "inventory" of teams in the former WAC is what had the BYU folks excited.