ECU's chancellor gave a state of the university address and talked about athletics and dropped a tidbit that he looks forward to the Conference USA - Mountain West engagement and its separation into four divisions of play.

/blinking hard

So how do you work that out?

And when they do, I look forward to our impending relationship with the Sun Belt.

Do I get extra credit for predicting a 4 division conference?

LC wrote:

South Southern Miss, UAB, Tulane, Troy, Ark State, LA Monroe, Fla Int, Louisiana Tech East Marshall, East Carolina, Temple, Buffalo, Akron, N. Ill, Miami, BG, Toledo, Ohio Texas Tulsa, Rice, UTEP, SMU, Houston, N. Texas, Colorado State, Air Force Mountains Wyoming, UNLV, New Mexico, Idaho, Fresno State, Nevada, Hawaii, San Diego State (note - the East has two teams too many)

Really, four divisions makes a lot of sense. You get mostly close games for affordable travel, solving the one negative of CUSA. You also generate interest in your games in other regions of the country, so you should hopefully get a decent TV deal. Also, because you have such a large group, your chance of getting the champion into the BCS is much improved, even if not automatic, and that will increase the credibility of the conference. To be honest they will probably end up with 6-team divisions, not 8 teams, but the advantages stay the same.

I couldn't access the link you provided for some reason, but I found an interesting article in the Idaho Statesman through NBC.  CBS co-owned The Mtn with Comcast and will apparently retain the rights.  In addition, MWC has an agreement with NBC Sports Channel (fka Versus), so they won't be hurting for football coverage.  B-ball may be another issue, though.  Once hockey season fires up, NBC covers that instead of MWC b-ball.

http://voices.idahostatesman.com/2012/04/05/bmurphy/report_the_mtn_shut_down_may_31