The opportunity for a big revenue boost and immediate conference competition drove Grand Canyon to join the Mountain West Conference this fall, sooner than expected.
GCU will be the only school in the Mountain West without a football team. It made the decision to join in 2025-26 instead of 2026-27 due to its contract with the Western Athletic Conference running out.
“Revenue increase and not having a conference is ultimately why we made the leap immediately,” GCU athletic director Jamie Boggs said. “We are ready to play in one of the premier conferences in collegiate sports.”
Boise State, which is exiting the Mountain West after this upcoming academic year, was not on board with the Antelopes joining a year early. The Broncos claim there was never a vote held by the member schools to allow entry to GCU, Sports Illustrated reported.
The Phoenix market played a significant role in the Mountain West’s decision to add GCU. Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez believes that GCU will only boost the national image of the conference.
GCU will also add another school in a one million-plus populated city to the conference along with San Diego State, which will also leave for the new Pac-12 next year.
“Our basketball, both men’s and women’s, volleyball and baseball can compete at a national level,” Boggs said. “We will now play against tough competition and we’re looking forward to conference play.”
The Antelopes will have 17 varsity sports in the conference; only Utah State and UNLV have fewer sports teams than GCU.
Seven GCU teams won the WAC conference tournament last year and will now up their challenges by joining a multi-bid team conference.
GCU’s athletic department put together a study determining how its total revenue will contribute to the conference. Despite not having a football team, which is for most schools the biggest money-maker, it will increase the conference’s revenue and will help lessen the blow from the new Pac-12 forming with several members.
“The TV deals with CBS Sports and Fox Sports is what we signed up for,” Boggs said. “It’ll display our great fanbases and environment that our games present.”
It’ll be quite the leap in media exposure for GCU. The WAC’s games were only accessible through niche channels on ESPN+.In the Mountain West, Antelopes will have their games on more easily accessible networks like CBS Sports and Fox Sports.
The Antelopes will get a taste of a competitive Mountain West Conference. This includes Boise State, San Diego State, Fresno State, UNLV and Utah State, but that will only be for a year.
The conference will be in a transitional year in 2026-2027 as those schools, except for UNLV, depart for the Pac-12. The Mountain West will have to rely on one of its newer members, GCU, to help form a new identity.
Remember when the Grijalva Mexican Mafia single handedly shot down the GCU build in Tucson at the failed El Rio golf course because it didn’t fit within the area’s ‘culture’?
a ‘Christian College’ with great results! Excellent financial operational standards.. and good sports – in the HOOD… why would the Grijalva want loss of the ‘stupid’ vote – just keep voting “G” generation after generation.. $$$$$ don’t need no stink’n Christian college in our neighborhood ?????????? “Area’s Culture” ??? Pat’s Hot Dogs? They are great!!!
GO BULLDOGS!!!