What I'm hearing about Hawaii, Sacramento State, FCS reclassifications and other realignment stuff

Good morning, and thanks for your continued support of Extra Points.

My original plan was to write about something completely different today, but when folks are blowing up my text messages, email inbox or DMs…it’s not because they want to discuss AI usage in athletic departments, or legal analysis in House, or developments in the NIL market. At least, not this week.

No, my sources and readers want to keep talking about conference realignment. Which is justifiable! So I’ve been working the phones, reading everything I can, and trying to get my arms around what’s going on with the Pac-12, Sacramento State, the MWC…and then everybody else downstream.

Here’s what I’m hearing about Hawaii:

As of Thursday evening, Hawaii remains a football-only member of the Mountain West Conference and a member of the Big West for almost everything else.

I can confirm earlier reporting that Hawaii had previously discussed potential membership with the Pac-12, and is also in discussions with the MWC about potentially becoming a full member of that conference.

According to one industry source with direct familiarity with both conversations, one of the key issues to be ironed out for Hawaii is the subject of travel subsidies.

Right now, Hawaii pays a subsidy to help offset travel expenses for both MWC opponents flying to the Islands for football games, and for Big West opponents traveling for Olympic Sporting events. Subsidies for MWC football games are currently in the $150,000-$175,000 range, while Big West event subsidies are significantly less.

For Hawaii to change leagues, the program would need to pay the Big West exit fee and negotiate over what travel subsidy responsibilities the program may or may not have. UH would then need to weigh those costs against new revenue opportunities from a new media rights agreement in a new conference.

Could a deal get done? Maybe! Could circumstances change and the Pac-12 returns to the negotiating table with Hawaii, either for a FB-only or an all-sports membership? Maybe! Could Hawaii remain a FB-only member while the MWC pursues other membership candidates? Maybe! If I knew for a certainity how this particular story would end, I would not put it above the paywall.

What are the hypothetical advantages and disadvantages of adding Hawaii?

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