​It was supposed to be an all-in showdown on the Ninth Island.No, not the McGregor-Holloway fight, although that one at least had a moment of action before being decided to the satisfaction of no one.But the battle of public relations between the Mountain West and the Pac-12 never materialized.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementNo mas? No show. The Pac-12 did not even put in an ante.Here’s the back story:Two years ago, 10 of the 12 Pac-12 schools departed for other conferences. Oregon State and Washington State were left behind with each other, whatever TV revenues were abandoned, and the conference’s name. OSU and WSU had two options: 1) beg to follow Oregon and Washington into the Big Ten, or 2) merge with the Mountain West. They chose “none of the above.”Instead, OSU and WSU negotiated to play football games against Mountain West teams during the 2024 season. Then in September of that year, whether it was through poaching or persuasive marketing, five Mountain West schools — Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State — agreed to join the Pac-12 beginning with the 2026-27 academic year. It took cross-my-heart loyalty pledges and retention payouts to keep UNLV and Air Force from joining the secession. Along the way, basketball powerhouse Gonzaga joined the Pac-12. The Mountain West countered with additions such as UTEP and Grand Canyon, and Hawaii becoming an all-sports member.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBoth conferences went to court to argue over poaching penalties and exit fees worth millions of dollars.This summer, both were supposed to boast about their members, television partners, sponsors and overall well-being.This week, the Mountain West is hosting media days in Las Vegas. Each of the 10 football programs was asked to bring four players, the head coach, a top administrator, a media relations director, two digital creators and a mascot. (UH does not have an official mascot.) Television and broadcast partners will attend. Commissioner Gloria Nevarez will promote the league’s strengths and five-time-zone footprint in her annual state-of-the-MW address. The two-day event will be held at the Palms, once a celebrity hot spot in the early 2000s. In recent years, the Mountain West’s media days were held at the 21-and-older Circa Resort &Casino in downtown Las Vegas.The Pac-12 also was expected to launch its football season with media days in Las Vegas. After all, the Pac-12 has embraced Las Vegas as a favorite venue. For the next two years, the Pac-12’s basketball tournaments will be held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBut Pac-12 officials have been secretive in recent weeks. They have declined to reveal financial details of their new television contracts. And deputy commissioner Rick Hart recently told reporters the Pac-12 decided against holding a media day. The Pac-12 is the only FBS conference without a traditional media da