Dan Butterly, Big West Commissioner - September 15th, 2025
·24 min·2 clips
Big West Commissioner Dan Butterly discusses UC San Diego's surprising move to the West Coast Conference.
Host Ghizal Hasan interviews Big West Commissioner Dan Butterly on his podcast. Butterly begins by noting his sixth anniversary as commissioner and shares that he was hired exclusively via Zoom interviews in 2020 due to COVID. He discusses his current NCAA committee roles, including chairing the Division I Men's Basketball Oversight Committee. The conversation shifts to conference realignment, with Butterly explaining the additions of Cal Baptist University, Utah Valley University, and Sacramento State to the Big West, replacing UC Davis and Hawaii. He highlights the strengths of these new members, such as Utah Valley's large student body and new facilities. The host then raises UC San Diego's defection to the West Coast Conference. Butterly describes receiving a surprising text from Chancellor Kusla informing him of the move, which he had no prior indication about. He states he tried to maintain their membership but was unsuccessful. The host asks about budget inequities among Big West schools, and Butterly notes differences are due to varying sports portfolios, with core sports like basketball being more comparable. He addresses concerns that UC San Diego's departure might start a trend, mentioning that the WCC has contacted other Big West institutions. Butterly expresses confidence in the remaining 11 schools and notes UC Irvine Chancellor Howard Gillman's recommitment to the Big West. The discussion covers potential future expansion, with Butterly saying there are always interested schools but the current focus is on the existing membership. He reveals that a 22-game basketball conference schedule is under consideration for the 2026-27 season. The episode concludes with reflections on the nature of conference realignment and the Big West's forward momentum.
