Last week we learned 10 companies, including the biggest names out there, were preliminarily interested in making a bid for WVU’s Tier 3 rights. 

Today we can say what was 10 is now officially nine: IMG College, Learfield Sports, CBS Collegiate Sports Properties, Legends Sales and Marketing, Nelligan Sports Marketing, XOS Digital, Front Row Marketing Services, Fox Sports Net and West Virginia Radio Corp.

Front Row Marketing Services and Fox Sports Net are new to the process, in that they were not part of the conference call last month. Comcast/NBC, The Hub Companies and West Virginia Media Holdings were part of that call and have decided not to proceed.

Interesting move by West Virginia Media, which owns West Virginia Illustrated, handles the Dana Holgorsen and Bob Huggins shows and televised the most recent spring game — to great reception with regard to production and finances, I’m told.

Doesn’t mean they’re out because the RFP allows for a larger company to engage a smaller company and certainly WVMH is equipped and familiar enough to do some smaller things for a larger company.

Similarly interesting move by West Virginia Radio Corp. to remain engaged, even though there is a legitimate possibility that group isn’t qualified — which is precisely the purpose of this pre-qualification stage. WVU has until July 17 to notify the applicants, who had to submit their pre-qualification statements by 4 p.m. yesterday, if they’re qualified.

Still, you find that both large and small companies have removed themselves from the process — and that was one of the concerns about the RFP. It requires a lot from the potential bidders.