(06-21-2019 05:21 AM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  Trying to survive will be the WAC’s primary challenge, but shedding a member who clearly wanted to be back in a midwest/plains conference relieves them a significant burden.

But these are the problems of a conference now forever on the brink of extinction. UMKC was always a risk; the hype that Summit was done for overblown, and having them meant taking on their identity and logistical challenges.

Losing another D1 school hurts the WAC. Losing UMKC barely makes a difference. UMKC brings nothing when it comes to athletics. They don't bring a baseball team. The WAC has ten baseball teams. Their men's soccer program never had a winning season in the WAC. The WAC still has 11 men's soccer teams and usually gets two bids. The UMKC basketball team had one winning season in the WAC. Losing them drops the WAC to eight basketball schools in 2020-2021. That hurts, but losing UMKC does not. UMKC could not win in the WAC. Maybe they will have better luck in the Summit. I doubt it.

The Summit is not completely out of the woods yet. If Purdue University Fort Wayne ever gets an invite out, the Summit falls to five baseball teams and six men's soccer programs. If EIU needs to make cuts to athletics, men's soccer could go. I doubt they would cut football. If WIU needs to make cuts to athletics, men's soccer or baseball could go. I doubt football would be cut. The four Dakota schools do not provide men's soccer teams to the Summit and only two have baseball programs. The Dakota schools look a lot like the Big Sky schools. The Big Sky does not offer men's soccer or baseball.

Denver provides a very good men's soccer team to the Summit. I think Denver would leave, but the $1 million exit fee they would owe the Summit prevents that. Denver belongs in a western conference. The WAC does not have an exit fee, so it is easy for UMKC to leave. If UMKC had to pay a $1 million exit fee, I think they would be staying. Once they get into the Summit, they are not leaving.