Does the loss of Hawaii Actually Help the WAC?

There is one silver lining for the WAC and the loss to Hawaii.  And that comes from the enormous travel costs of visiting the islands every season.  Football is one sport, but that  is only every other season.  All the other sports have to travel to Hawaii every single year.  That can cost between 2000 and 4000 per trip depending on how many people are making the trip.  Sure, the conference can make travel arrangements and qualify for discounts for frequent travel, but there is only so much of that.  Think about how much it costs the Hawaii softball team to make the trip to Rushton, Louisiana.  Both Hawaii and the conference members were taking a bath and both will benefit to the tune of nearly 1 to 2 million per school.  The Big West is a better fit for Hawaii and the WAC may be better off without them...if the conference can stay together.

Now, where does the WAC go from here?  Well, they have also lost on the chance to add CS Bakersfield and Seattle, who reportedly are also joining the Big West.  But if the WAC is to survive, they need a plan, perhaps to focus on a region.  If the Big Sky is out, then how about moving toward Texas, Louisiana and the Gulf Coast.

There are, in fact, three additional Texas Schools that Could be a good fit for the WAC, all have enough or almost enough sports to jump to the FBS.  They also have large enough football stadiums.  Follow the links to their school's athletic sites.

Stephen F. Austin--Nacogdoches, TX (NE Texas)
Lamar--Beaumont, TX (Gulf Coast, East of Houston)
Texas Southern, who can use Reliant Stadium--Houston, TX


Here are a couple of other schools that may work as well, but have to add sports:

Northwestern State--Nachitoches, LA (I understand that Nacogoches and Nachitoches were brothers, and SFA and NWSU are rivals.  NWSU only sponsors 12 sports, however.)
Sam Houston State--Huntsville, TX (North of Houston)

Another note of interest.  Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston State played at Reliant Stadium (Home of the Houston Texans of the NFL).  I can not find attendance figures for the game, but it was estimated to be "strong."

Cal Poly is still in the mix, as well as Portland State and Northern Arizona...if the WAC wants them.  Utah Valley would be good if they could add football.

The WAC may be withering on the vine, but it is not dead yet.  In the words of Huey Lewis, "The ol' boy may be barely breathin' but the heart...is still beatin.'"