The Mountain West Conference is “set up to be a better league” because of San Diego State’s appearance in the Final Four, according to Luke Zahlmann of the Colorado Springs GAZETTE. Each round SDSU advanced through was a “proverbial payday” for the conference's teams and tournament participants, as every Mountain West school is set to receive “roughly $212,000 per year for the next six years” thanks to SDSU’s appearance. In total, conference entrants along with SDSU’s run are set to bring in “roughly” $16M overall. Zahlmann noted the SEC will “take home the largest haul for any conference” with $34M. The funds themselves will go toward “helping the conference become a bigger, better version of itself.” Mountain West Commissioner Gloria Nevarez, who has only been on the job since January after being elected to replace former Commissioner Craig Thompson, will “accompany the Aztecs on their trip to Houston.” Zahlmann noted outside of the “cash influx,” the conference has “also received an exposure boost.” SDSU is the first team from the conference to reach the Final Four and “may just set up the next team to do so” (Colorado Springs GAZETTE, 3/30).
