What Mountain West Conference does

Mountain West Conference is an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic conference founded in 1999 that governs intercollegiate athletics competition among its member universities across the western United States. The conference distributes more than 150 live events annually across football, basketball, baseball, and 21 Olympic sports, generating revenue primarily through multi-year media rights agreements with CBS Sports, FOX Sports, and The CW Network covering 2026-27 through 2031-32 seasons. The conference distributes approximately $3.5 million per year to each member institution from media rights revenue, supplemented by corporate sponsorships (Palms Casino Resort, Credit Union 1, Gatorade, Circa Resort & Casino, Old Trapper, Gatewood, Real California Milk) and emerging direct-to-consumer streaming revenue.

The conference's product surface centers on the Mountain West Network (a streaming platform available on Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Roku) and the upcoming MW App — a direct-to-consumer subscription service powered by Kiswe cloud-based technology launching July 2026 and distributed through Amazon Prime Video, Roku, and Apple TV. The conference has also pioneered the Athlete Rights Window initiative in partnership with Creator Sports Network and Opendorse, making it the first collegiate conference to enable athletes to stream live games through their personal Instagram and TikTok accounts for NIL payouts. Supporting products include the Mountain West Podcast Hub and championship event operations across 14 sports.

The Mountain West Conference underwent a significant realignment effective July 2026, losing five member institutions (Boise State, Fresno State, Colorado State, San Diego State, Utah State) to the Pac-12 Conference while adding Washington State, Grand Canyon University, UC Davis, North Dakota State, Northern Illinois, and UTEP. The conference is relocating its headquarters from Colorado Springs to Las Vegas in July 2026 and operates under Commissioner Gloria Nevarez, whose contract was extended through 2030. Distribution channels span linear broadcast (CBS, FOX, The CW), cable sports networks, major streaming platforms (Paramount+, Prime Video), the MW App, and athlete-driven social media streams.

Name

Mountain West Conference

Legal name

Mountain West Conference

Website

https://themw.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mountain West Conference is an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic conference governing member universities across the western United States, distributing 150+ live events annually through broadcast and streaming partnerships with CBS, FOX, and The CW.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Collegiate Athletic Conference Services

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Collegiate Athletic Conferences & Associations (MPAKACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

College & University Sports Networks (Conference/School-Owned) (MPABAJAD), Athletics Fundraising, Sponsorships & NIL Support (EDALAIAN)

Keywords

• Collegiate athletics
• Sports media rights
• Intercollegiate competition
• Conference broadcasting
• Athletic event management

Headquarters

HQ city

Colorado Springs

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Media Rights Deals: Six-year media rights agreements with CBS Sports and FOX Sports expiring after 2031/32, plus five-year deal with The CW Network, distributing over 150 live events annually across broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms
2. Direct-to-Consumer Streaming Subscriptions: MW App subscription revenue reinvested to member schools and student-athletes, powered by Kiswe technology
3. Conference Revenue Distribution: Approximately $3.5 million per year distributed to member schools from media rights deals
4. Sponsorship and Partnership: Partnerships with Palms Casino Resort as Official Hotel Partner, Credit Union 1, and other corporate sponsors

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Mountain West Conference is an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic conference that organizes, regulates, and distributes intercollegiate athletic competition for its member universities. It generates revenue primarily by packaging media rights for live events across broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms and redistributes that revenue to its member institutions. It also operates direct-to-consumer streaming products and championship events spanning 21 Olympic sports plus football, basketball, and baseball.

Product overview

The Mountain West Conference operates as a collegiate athletic conference offering streaming and media distribution products. The core portfolio centers on the Mountain West Network for live game streaming across multiple platforms (Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, mobile), the MW App (direct-to-consumer subscription service powered by Kiswe launching July 2026), and the Podcast Hub. The conference distributes over 150 live events annually through broadcast (CBS, FOX, The CW Network), cable (CBS Sports Network), and streaming (MW App, Paramount+, Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video, Roku, Apple TV) channels. Supporting products include championship events across 14 sports (football, basketball, baseball, volleyball, track and field, etc.) and the Mountain West Podcast Hub. The MW App represents a new direct-to-consumer streaming capability, while the Mountain West Network provides the existing streaming infrastructure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MW App: Direct-to-consumer streaming service launching in July 2026 powered by Kiswe's cloud-based technology
• Mountain West Network
• Making Her Mark

Products and services

• MW App Direct-to-Consumer Streaming Service Subscription streaming service launching in July 2026 providing live access to Mountain West Conference athletic events including football, basketball, and Olympic sports, powered by Kiswe cloud-based technology and distributed through Amazon Prime Video, Roku, and Apple TV.
• Mountain West Network Conference-operated streaming platform delivering live Mountain West games across Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, and mobile applications through iOS App Store and Google Play.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 150 live events broadcast annually across multiple platforms
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Two CirclescoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 26 March 2026Mountain West contracted Two Circles for conference-wide marketing campaign, supporting brand positioning and fan engagement initiatives.
• Palms Casino ResortcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 March 2026Multiyear partnership naming Palms Casino Resort as Official Hotel Partner through 2028. Partnership launches during 2026 Basketball Conference Championships in March, with Palms hosting Fan Fest, providing accommodations for teams and fans, and serving as Presenting Partner of the 'Making Her Mark' platform supporting female student-athletes. Beginning in 2026-27, Palms becomes the Conference's Exclusive Hotel Partner, presenting 14 championships across all sports and hosting Football and Basketball Media Days.
• Creator Sports NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 February 2026Partnership enabling Mountain West to become the first collegiate conference allowing athletes to stream live games directly through their personal Instagram and TikTok accounts, creating an 'Athlete Rights Window' for NIL distribution.
• OpendorsecoreTechnology or Integration · 21 February 2026Technology partnership supporting Athlete Rights Window initiative, enabling athletes to receive NIL payouts for distributing live game content through personal social media accounts.
• CBS SportsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 February 2026Six-year media rights agreement (2026-27 through 2031-32) for broadcast distribution of football, basketball, and Olympic sports. CBS Sports Network will televise 14+ football contests annually as part of 150+ live events package.
• FOX SportsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 February 2026Six-year media rights agreement (2026-27 through 2031-32) for broadcast distribution of football, basketball, and Olympic sports. FOX Sports family of networks will air 13+ football games annually.
• The CW NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 February 2026Five-year media rights deal (through 2030-31) for broadcast distribution of conference events. CW will broadcast 13+ football games annually, with all games also streaming live on the ESPN App.
• KiswecoreTechnology or Integration · 3 February 2026Six-year partnership (2026-27 through 2031-32) powering the MW App, a direct-to-consumer streaming service launching July 2026. Kiswe's cloud-based technology enables subscription-based distribution across Amazon Prime Video, Roku, and Apple TV platforms.
• Credit Union 1coreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial sponsor of Mountain West Conference and naming partner for baseball championship (Credit Union 1 MW Baseball Championship).
• GatorademinorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial sponsor of Mountain West Conference athletics.
• Real California MilkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial sponsor supporting Mountain West Conference athletics.
• Circa Resort & CasinominorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial sponsor and Las Vegas hospitality partner.
• Old TrapperminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial sponsor of Mountain West Conference.
• GatewoodminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial sponsor of Mountain West Conference athletics.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sun Belt Conference: Group of Five collegiate athletic conference with overlapping geographic and competitive footprint. Comparable in scale, conference realignment posture, and media rights market positioning.
• Conference USA: Mid-major NCAA Division I collegiate athletic conference that just lost UTEP to Mountain West. Closely comparable in scale, membership composition, and media rights tier, and a likely competitor for any further realignment activity.
• Mid-American Conference (MAC): Group of Five NCAA Division I conference comparable in size and structure. Operates similar media rights arrangements and member revenue distribution, including overlapping markets with Mountain West membership changes.
• Pac-12 Conference: Direct competing NCAA Division I collegiate athletic conference; just signed five departing Mountain West members (Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Utah State) and is the central party in Mountain West's antitrust litigation. Operates the same fundamental model of media rights sales and member revenue distribution.
• American Athletic Conference (AAC): Group of Five NCAA Division I conference with similar mid-major positioning, member-driven governance, and media rights distribution. Operates as a direct peer in the same competitive tier for membership and broadcasting.
• Big 12 Conference: Major collegiate athletic conference operating under the same NCAA Division I governance structure with comparable media rights, championship, and revenue distribution models. Highly comparable as a peer conference competing for members, broadcast partners, and fan attention.

Broad incumbents

• Southeastern Conference (SEC): Power conference dominating collegiate sports media economics and brand value. Comparable governance and media rights model, though at a meaningfully larger scale and reach.
• Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC): Established Power conference comparable in core operating model (media rights, championship operations, member distributions), though at a larger scale and with stronger historical brand positions.
• Big Ten Conference: Established Power conference with vastly larger media rights deals and national footprint; serves as the upper-bound comparable for collegiate conference economics and media distribution scale.
• NCAA: National governing body for collegiate athletics that oversees Mountain West's Division I membership, championship participation (March Madness, etc.), and broader regulatory framework. Provides the structural and compliance context in which Mountain West operates.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MountainWest
• YouTubeyoutube.com/mountainwestconf
• Facebookfacebook.com/MountainWestConference
• Instagraminstagram.com/mountainwestconference
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mountain-west-conf

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mountain West Conference