WAC in war over money

Steve Carp

Friday, Aug. 14, 1998 | 11:07 a.m.

Forget about an amicable split of the Western Athletic Conference anytime soon.

The heels of the remaining eight WAC members dug a little deeper into the ground Thursday following a 70-minute conference call with the eight schools that plan to leave the league at the end of June 1999.

At issue are the assets the 16-team league possesses, specifically the $2.6 million in NCAA basketball tournament revenue it will receive each year over the next six years. The remaining WAC members claim that when the departing eight officially leave, they leave their assets with them.

Those leaving say they are entitled to some of the revenue, at least the portion which those responsible -- UNLV, Utah and New Mexico -- generated.

"We were hoping there would be some mutual agreement," UNLV president Dr. Carol Harter said of the financial issue. "We're trying to move forward and we're not getting far."

Harter said there was little compromise Thursday as the 16 presidents could not agree on much.

"I think 'angst' is a good word to describe the feelings," she said of the prevailing climate following the call. "The only thing we agreed on was that we'd keep talking."

The departing schools proposed a document which would address the compensatory issues as well as legally permit both entities to proceed with future business. It was immediately rejected by the remaining WAC members.

Fresno State president John Welty said: "We're moving ahead with the WAC. Both groups indicated an interest in a resolution, but there was no discussion as to how that will come about."

It left Harter frustrated and somewhat perturbed.

"From their perspective, to do nothing is their idea of getting along," she said. "We submitted a proposal that dealt with all the relevant issues and got nowhere.

"They think they can get it all and we think that's wrong."

The departing eight will have its transition committee meeting Monday at the MGM Grand hotel-casino. It is expected that former NCAA president and Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner Gene Corrigan officially will be brought on board as a consultant to the yet-to-be-named league.

"We're forging ahead," Harter said. "Please understand that the people involved intend to go forward."

Harter said the eight schools also plan to give the WAC written notice of their intention to officially leave the conference sometime next week.

"We'll be doing that together," she said.