Nevarez feels that all sports around the league now have the necessary backing to succeedGLORIA NEVAREZ
West Coast Conference Commissioner Gloria Nevarez earlier this month "formally introduced the new branding initiative and unveiled a new logo for the conference" at the WCC tournament, and it marked her "most aggressive action as commissioner yet," according to David Lombardi of THE ATHLETIC. The WCC has been "actively striving to upgrade" its branding recently. Nevarez pointed out that the "general lack of knowledge regarding conference affiliation was a problem during the WCC's rebranding research." She said that she feels that "all sports around the league -- and not just basketball -- now have the necessary backing in the highest offices" to succeed. Meanwhile, the possibility of Gonzaga leaving the conference for the Mountain West was an "existential threat of sorts to the WCC, a fire which Nevarez had inherited before even moving into her new office." In most cases, conferences "evenly distribute their revenue among their members, but the WCC had a relatively unique problem." Gonzaga had been doing the "vast majority of the tournament winning," and "felt deserving of a larger share of the financial return." Gonzaga ultimately "decided to remain in the WCC, thanks to a compromise that Nevarez helped finalize" (THEATHLETIC.com, 3/21). THE UNDEFEATED runs a Q&A with Nevarez (3/20).
