Gloria Nevarez Puts The Hurt On San Diego State University

As a Mountain West charter member, SDSU might deserve an ounce of respect from the best-in-class Group of Five conference.

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Nevarez has shown that, given the choice between soft and hard power, she’s going to reach for the hammer.

San Diego, CA – San Diego State made a decision about its future, giving the Mountain West written notice it “intends to resign from the conference.” The message arrived before a Pac-12 invite was received. Now Mountain West Commissioner Gloria Nevarez is punishing SDSU.

Upon receipt, and before President Adela de la Torre considered the weight of the university’s letter to the conference, Nevarez used SDSU’s formal notice to promptly remove de la Torre from the Mountain West board. She then initiated separation of SDSU from the conference for the 2024-25 academic year, and shockingly notified SDSU that the university would not receive the estimated $6M distribution the university was due for 2022-23. Ouch.

De la Torre responded that her letter not an “official letter of resignation.” It was a nice try.

Gloria Nevarez is letting the conference know that, on her watch, there will be no such thing as an easy exit from the Mountain West- even if the conference knows well in advance change is imminent.

It is a complete surprise to NOBODY that San Diego State was preparing its notice to the conference. Since notice came before the official Pac-12 invite arrived, there may be a price to pay for it. But hey, if you’re going to make an omelet, you have to break some eggs.

Nevarez has shown that, given the choice between soft and hard power, she’s going to reach for the hammer. In actuality, this reaction increasingly appears premeditated, and all conference members should take note.

Nevarez is missing the value in choosing to exercise soft power.

One extra month of flexibility to SDSU is a minuscule ask in the grand scheme, and it comes as no cost to the Mountain West to magnanimously grant it. On top of that, there is real, tangible value in magnanimity.

The value comes in the leverage Nevarez could have generated in return. She could have placed future contingencies on SDSU in the form of home-and-home matches. If SDSU lands in the Pac-12, and if the conference avoids calamity and lives on for years to come, the Mountain West could have negotiated a schedule of guaranteed games, which (say what you will) would actually be GOOD for the Mountain West.

Nevarez would be better served avoiding alienation from the Mountain West charter member, and turning SDSU’s inevitable exodus into a win-win for her conference. In the near future, an expanded Mountain West with new entrants and incumbents alike could benefit with Pac-12 home-and-home matches in football, basketball, baseball and beyond.

SDSU is attempting to negotiate an amicable exit, and the Mountain West would be best served establishing a special relationship with the university. Nevarez can be firm and friendly. If so, it could help the Mountain West in ways the conference might not yet recognize.