There was a big meeting today between the MWC and CUSA to discuss a merger. If they both dissolve before merging they can get out of their current TV contracts and go to the open market before the Big East can in November of 2012. The plan is that the 17 team league could survive losing more teams, in case the Big East loses more and has to back fill, and that having teams in 5 time zones allows for more TV options.
I think that now that those leagues are thoroughly picked over, and their 2 most attractive TV teams are Air Force and UNLV, that they'd be better off individually picking through the WAC, MAC, Sunbelt and FCS call ups and trying to stay as regionally compact as possible. Spreading yourself all over the country doesn't make sense when the TV dollars aren't there. It is questionable that it is worthwhile for the BE much less the Mount USA merger.