"Canzano: Oregon and Oregon State plotting to keep.....

With this scheduling alliance, I'm still not clear on what's in it for the MWC. Presumably, the MWC teams involved are obliged to disrupt whatever non conference schedule they already had set up. Are they offered more money so they can buy out their previously scheduled games and make more net? If so, they could have done this individually without having to go through the conference commissioner. Was a package deal for this negotiated to eliminate the need for individual negotiations?

Or is this part of a longer term plan to lock us (OSU/WSU) into a commitment that extends past the 2 year grace period for our independent scheduling?

In other words, part of a long term plan to lock us into a commitment longer than 2 years. Not sure how they prove "Its a viable option" by having 7 teams show up for games. You think there are 7 MWC teams that could give this year's Oregon State team a good game? San Jose State is currently tied for 2nd in MWC and we beat them by 25 points. In WSU's only game against the MWC this year they beat Colo State by 26.

There are certain posters on here who are (for many reasons) locked in on the idea of a commitment to the MW is some iteration or another.  I think more are against that idea than with it, but it is not just one or two. 

Keeping Civil War on the schedule makes too much sense. The travel "budget" is basically zero. Too easy. Also too many politics, but as a fan I vote yes.

It makes total sense for the MWC to put this together as a conference rather than individually, and negotiate a bonus payment to each school of, say, $1 million each year over and above the normal visiting team amount. When your tv revenue is south of 10 mil, that extra mil can be important.

It makes total sense for the PAC 2 to put this together, as it removes the enormous problem of scheduling for next year, and gives us room to breathe. It's also the only option we've got it would seem.

I literally don’t care whether we play them again. Meaning I don’t care if we do, or do not. Whatever makes most sense financially is fine with me. One way or the other - I don’t care. 

The larger point is, most of the original members of the MWC are still members of the MWC (Wyoming, AFA, CSU, UNLV, UNM, SDSU). Only two of the original members have left (Utah, BYU). Other schools have been added along the way but only one that was added (TCU) has left, and those added, as you said, will complete their 11th or 12 season as members.

It has been a pretty darn stable conference, and will continue to be one, regardless of what OSU and WSU decide. They would love to have us, in reverse merger or some other format. But their future existence isn't based on our decision, at least for the next two seasons.