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Transcript From Commissioner Craig Thompson's Chat
Transcript From Commissioner Craig Thompson's Chat
A Cowboy Fan in Cheyenne: Craig, why do the media and fans make such a big deal of the RPI? The SEC and ACC, for example, played 84% of their games either at home or on neutral courts, while the MWC only played 65% home/neutral. Because the RPI is an AVERAGE WINNING PERCENTAGE, teams/conferences who play a much higher percentage of games at home will have a HUGE advantage in this highly flawed formula. Fans and media just don't understand this, obviously. Comments?
Ron Hardy (Salt Lake City): I applaud your decision to move the MWC Basketball tournament off the game/practice floor of UNLV. For years, the WAC favored New Mexico by playing the tournament on their home/practice floor. Is there any plan to rotate the tournament between professional basketball arenas in Utah, So. Calif. and Denver?
Ted, Fresno: What is your philosophy on expansion?
Jarad (Salt Lake City): The parity in MWC really has been extraordinary, as exemplified by the near-upsets of Utah and Wyoming in the first round. Does this parity give the conference an advantage, or a disadvantage, in the effort to acheive greater national recognition for the conference?
Aaron (Loveland,CO): Are you confident that the MWC will be included in the next "chapter" of the BCS after it expires in 2006?
Len (Denver): What issues do you think are currently the most pressing concerning the health of this conference and its member schools?
Brian, Dallas Texas: What do you prefer for college football, a play-off or the BCS? why?
Joey B (Ft. Collins): Will MWC be focusing on marketing its product more. Attendance doesn't seem to be large in Las Vegas this week, Denver 2004!!
 |  MWC Commissioner Craig Thompson. (Photo Courtesy ESPN) |
March 8, 2002
Moderator: (3:56 PM ET ) Mountain West Conference commissioner Craig Thompson will be joining us shortly please continue to use the form below to submit questions.
A Cowboy Fan in Cheyenne: Craig, why do the media and fans make such a big deal of the RPI? The SEC and ACC, for example, played 84% of their games either at home or on neutral courts, while the MWC only played 65% home/neutral. Because the RPI is an AVERAGE WINNING PERCENTAGE, teams/conferences who play a much higher percentage of games at home will have a HUGE advantage in this highly flawed formula. Fans and media just don't understand this, obviously. Comments?
Craig Thompson: (4:03 PM ET ) I have been following the RPI for more than two decades in many leagues that I've worked in and for five years on the basketball selection committee. The RPI usage is extremely overused and inaccurate. Because many leagues have built-in advantages from playing numerous games against top 20 people in their own conferences. The RPI is skewed. A league like the MWC with six top 70 RPI teams does not get the credit for conference wins amongst each other. Also I have seen many teams this year with one top 25 win and 10-15 wins against teams rated 200 and lower yet they have RPIs in the 30s. It's incomprehensible.
Ron Hardy (Salt Lake City): I applaud your decision to move the MWC Basketball tournament off the game/practice floor of UNLV. For years, the WAC favored New Mexico by playing the tournament on their home/practice floor. Is there any plan to rotate the tournament between professional basketball arenas in Utah, So. Calif. and Denver?
Craig Thompson: (4:06 PM ET ) Next year in 2003 the MWC Tournament will again be in Las Vegas. In 2004 through 2006, the tourament moves to the Pepsi Center in Denver. This was a tough decision by our administrators because the tournament does so well financially in Las Vegas. However the need to get a neutral court outweighed finances. It will be interesting to see how the tournament draws in Denver in those three years. We had looked at both the Delta Center in Salt Lake City and other sites but received no interest or bids from those cities.
Ted, Fresno: What is your philosophy on expansion?
Craig Thompson: (4:09 PM ET ) Our board of directors (presidents) have stated that we should remain an eight team league for the forseeable future and have placed a moratorium on expansion. The topic is not even on the upcoming April athletic director's agenda. The BOD discusses annually the overall status of the league and its growth, but at this time feels strengthening the current eight members is more important than expansion.
Jarad (Salt Lake City): The parity in MWC really has been extraordinary, as exemplified by the near-upsets of Utah and Wyoming in the first round. Does this parity give the conference an advantage, or a disadvantage, in the effort to acheive greater national recognition for the conference?
Craig Thompson: (4:12 PM ET ) All in all each of our 19 championships delivers at least one or two top 25 caliber teams and the remaining six teams are all very competitive. In the short term the argument could be made that we have one top 10 team that dominates the other seven. For the long term growth of the league we are better off having numerous nationally ranked teams than just one.
Aaron (Loveland,CO): Are you confident that the MWC will be included in the next "chapter" of the BCS after it expires in 2006?
Craig Thompson: (4:15 PM ET ) Our presidents and athletic directors have spent countless hours discussing the status of college football, both the regular and post-seasons. When the current contract expires in 2006 there needs to be a mechanism by which the MWC has greater access to the BCS bowls than the current requirement of finishing in the top six. Our goal in the meantime is simply to play better schedules and of course be successful.
Len (Denver): What issues do you think are currently the most pressing concerning the health of this conference and its member schools?
Craig Thompson: (4:19 PM ET ) We haven't even played three full seasons as a conference yet the national exposure we've received by our top 25 teams and our television package have given us a great opportunity so far. One thing that we constantly stress is playing quality non-conference schedules in all sports. By playing with and beating those programs, we aspire to be labeled as, is the only way we are going to receive the type of national recognition we deserve. College athletics is very regional and people in the West know of our strength, but we need to expand it to other parts of the country.
Brian, Dallas Texas: What do you prefer for college football, a play-off or the BCS? why?
Craig Thompson: (4:22 PM ET ) Very interesting question because if there were a 16-team playoff we would probably only have one participant vs. the three teams each year since our formation that have played in a bowl game. No question the revenue would be greater for the MWC in a play-off situation but our number of post-season participants would be reduced. Ideally we will have greater access to not only a BCS bowl but also keep our other affiliations.
Joey B (Ft. Collins): Will MWC be focusing on marketing its product more. Attendance doesn't seem to be large in Las Vegas this week, Denver 2004!!
Craig Thompson: (4:26 PM ET ) I don't know where you're getting your information because both men's quarterfinal sessions yesterday shattered the previous two years attendance totals. First session yesterday was 11,612 while the second session had 12,866. Tonight's semifinals should set another attendance record. Wednesday's women's session one attendance of 1,985 also set a MWC Tournament record.
Craig Thompson: (4:27 PM ET ) We are really excited about the growth and future of the Mountain West Conference. Tremendous gains have been made in a short period of time.
Craig Thompson: (4:28 PM ET ) Thanks for all the great questions, gotta run