The Sheraton Hawaii Bowl and Mountain West Conference are reportedly close to a multi-year deal that would follow the University of Hawaii into its new conference in 2012.

An agreement could be announced as soon as next month.

The Hawaii Bowl currently has agreements to match teams from the Western Athletic Conference and Conference USA through 2013 but can exit the WAC after this season due to membership changes. UH has appeared in six of the nine Hawaii Bowls as the WAC’s representative.

David Matlin, executive director for the Hawaii Bowl, said, "Our goal continues to be to provide an option for the University of Hawaii for the postseason."

MWC spokesman Javan Hedlund wrote in an email, "We are in conversation with ESPN Regional, but no final decisions have been made at this time. The Board of Directors has authorized the commissioner to continue dialogue with ERT and the athletic directors are comfortable with the possibility of a relationship."

ERT owns and operates five bowls, including the Hawaii, Las Vegas and New Mexico bowls.

The MWC currently has agreements with four bowls — Las Vegas, Poinsettia (San Diego), Independence (Shreveport, La.) and New Mexico — and, under an NCAA formula, could add a fifth bowl in 2012 when UH joins the conference, to reflect membership changes.

The Boise-based Humanitarian Bowl has also sought consideration, but officials have said conference members favored the Hawaii Bowl.

"Bowl participation in Hawaii would be supported by (UH), as well as others in the (MWC) who have been past participants," Hedlund said.