Mountain West Conference, a privately owned organization headquartered in the US, was founded in 1999. The conference, which focuses on spectator sports, has approximately 40 employees and reported $10.7M in revenue as of 2023. Functioning in intercollegiate athletics, the Mountain West works to promote the academic missions of its member institutions. It cultivates opportunities for student-athletes to compete while fostering academic achievement and sportsmanship, and is involved with the NCAA governance structure and administration of intercollegiate athletics. The conference is noted for its geographic diversity, with member institutions spanning regions from the Rocky Mountain range and high plains to desert cities and the West coast, including Air Force, Boise State, Colorado State, New Mexico, Utah State, UNLV, Nevada, Fresno State, San Diego State, San José State, a Hawai‘i football program, and a women’s soccer program at Colorado College.
On February 10, 2026, North Dakota State finalized an agreement to join the Mountain West Conference as a football-only member starting in 2026, with the school confirming it will pay a $12.5 million entry fee, according to athletic director Matt Larsen. This development transitions the program, an FCS powerhouse, to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level after several successful decades. Previously, on February 9, the Mountain West Conference announced NDSU's move to join the league as a football-only member beginning July 1, 2026. Earlier the same day, North Dakota State University had confirmed its acceptance of an invitation to join the conference as an affiliate football member at the FBS level. This series of events follows the Mountain West Conference's finalization of a new television agreement on February 4, which extended partnerships with CBS Sports and Fox Sports while also adding The CW to its broadcast lineup.
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