Big Sky Expansion Meant to Hold WAC Down - Spokane, North Idaho News & Weather KHQ.com

NCAA Football

Big Sky Expansion Meant to Hold WAC Down

Updated:
by Jared Frank, KHQ.com/SWXRightNow.com - email
Big Sky Commissioner Doug Fullerton said the Big Sky expanded to protect itself from the WAC, which was looking to plug holes in its dwindling membership (Photo: FILE / SWX) Big Sky Commissioner Doug Fullerton said the Big Sky expanded to protect itself from the WAC, which was looking to plug holes in its dwindling membership (Photo: FILE / SWX)

Big Sky commissioner Doug Fullerton admitted it: he sought to expand the conference to protect itself against a Western Athletic Conference dying on the vine.

Fullerton said as much this week in an interview published on SportsNetwork.com.

"Well, actually that was our plan. We watched this unfold. We knew there was strength in numbers. We also knew that if we could occupy most of the schools in the West, then it would be very difficult for the WAC (Western Athletic Conference) particularly to be able to reconstitute itself and come after our members. So it was a little bit of a defensive move here." – Doug Fullerton on Sportsnetwork.com

Now, not only is the Big Sky the largest Football Championship Subdivision conference in the country, but Fullerton wants it to expand even further to 14 members.

"Well, we absolutely want to go to 14," said Fullerton. "We would like a full-fledged member. We can go to divisions, mitigate some travel in football and then in basketball and all the other sports you can have partner-scheduling, which we don't have now. That would take us to 12 in basketball and volleyball and all that. Getting to an even number is really a goal we've got."

 

Read more of the interview with Doug Fullerton on SportingNews.com

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