BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY

SUBJECT
Boise State University requests permission to change conference affiliation for its
intercollegiate athletics teams

BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
President Kustra has informed the Board, and news media organizations have
reported, that Boise State is one of several institutions under consideration for
potential membership in the Big East Conference for its intercollegiate football
team. These discussions are a result of the conference realignment precipitated
by the changing membership of many schools in the eastern and mid-west
conferences. The domino effect of these changes has caused the potential for a
conference change for Boise State. While no invitation to join has been extended
at this time, the University anticipates an offer is imminent and is requesting
Board approval to proceed in the best interests of the University should an offer
be extended.

IMPACT
The primary impact will be the increase in conference revenue. Currently, the
Mountain West conference-wide payout is roughly between $1,400,000 and
$1,900,000 per year, depending upon football bowl and basketball post season
performance of conference teams. If the expansion plans of the Big East
proceed as reported, there will be 12 football playing schools in the Big East.
Under the current Big East media agreements (which will lapse and come due for
renegotiation in 2012), the payouts to the football playing schools would be
approximately $3,700,000 annually. However, the Big East Conference is the
only member of the BCS automatic qualifying conferences that has its media
rights package coming due for renewal in 2012. The Big East expects that
bidding its media rights on the open market in the fall of 2012 will result in a
significant increase in the conference media revenue. Finally, the Big East is
considered one of the premier conferences in men’s and women’s basketball.
While Boise State will not be a basketball playing member, the increased
exposure to the affiliation with such a strong conference will be good for the
University and is part of what will drive the increased media value for the 2012
media rights bids.

As noted, the Big East is also a member of the BCS. As such its conference
champion is guaranteed a placement in one of the five BCS bowl games. This
exposure is important to the University and its football program for various
reasons. The Big East is guaranteed the automatic qualifying status through the
2013 season (for the January 2014 BCS bowl games). In addition, the Big East
has bowl tie-ins with several other prominent bowl games.

The Big East plans to adopt a 12 team football conference with an East and West
Division. The two division alignment allows the addition of a championship game
at the end of the season. A conference championship game is expected to also
add value to the media rights of the conference.

The University expects increased travel costs in association with the longer
charter flights for conference games. However, since the University already
charters planes for all away football games, the increased cost is only the
incremental cost over the already chartered flights to Mountain West Conference
games. The University estimates this increase at approximately $200,000 to
$300,000 annually.

Another important impact of joining the Big East as a football only member will be
that the University will be required to have all other sports in a conference as
well. The University has pursued this by inquiring of several potential
conferences. Such discussions are ongoing and the University is confident its
quality programs will be a welcome addition to one of those conferences.
The conference change is anticipated to occur July 1, 2013. With more than one
year advance notice the University will not pay the $5,000,000 exit penalty to the
Mountain West Conference and will, instead, only forfeit the annual conference
wide distribution for the 2012 season.

BOARD ACTION
I move to authorize the President of Boise State University to make the final
decision as to whether it is in the best interests of the University to accept an
invitation to the Big East Conference as a football only member and to another
conference for the University’s remaining intercollegiate sports, and in so doing
to comply with all Board policies and procedures.

Moved by __________ Seconded by __________ Carried Yes _____ No _____

I did not see anything at all about Potato futures and will they expect an increase potato profit to justify paying the exit fees, I am sure that was just an oversight.

Jealous

great find. where did you dig it up?

Interesting. Someone speculated a few days ago that it sounded as if some schools would start in 2012 and some in 2013. Would mean the Big East can not count Boise St. towards their BCS points until the 2013 season. Doubt that means much at this point. also means that with WVU, Pitt and Syracuse in 2012 it would be a 12 team league.

Interesting that there is nothing about the impact on the University of Idaho. Specifically, if they approve Boise leaving then the MWC will respond by taking San Jose State and Utah State from the WAC -- effectively killing the WAC as an FBS conference. As Idaho is a member of that conference, and as they apparently have no other possible conference affiliation open to them, they will likely be forced to drop FBS football. As the Board of Education is responsible for the well being of both institutions, it is rather surprising that they are not being advised of the impacts of this move on the University of Idaho.

Yoda out...


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(11-03-2011 01:15 PM)New York Bull Wrote:  great find. where did you dig it up?

The last 2 pages of their 602 page meeting agenda:

Idaho Board of Education November 3 Agenda - All

Idaho may end up in MW and it is better for all.

Sounds like it was crafted with the specific intent of getting Boise into the BE.

Thanks for posting it Inigo.

Interesting. The board will be asked to approve the move before Kustra lines up a home for the non-football sports. I doubt this will slow down the train.

Approval today. Press conference tomorrow. Big East rebuilding plan accomplished (with a few loose ends to tie up). Rampant speculation on MWC/CUSA rebuilding plan to follow.

(11-03-2011 01:22 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  Interesting. The board will be asked to approve the move before Kustra lines up a home for the non-football sports. I doubt this will slow down the train.

I guess football really does drive the bus. They'll be giving Kustra authorization to put their other sports wherever he wants.

It's going to get approved...I can almost guarantee it.

(11-03-2011 01:19 PM)Yoda Wrote:  Interesting that there is nothing about the impact on the University of Idaho. Specifically, if they approve Boise leaving then the MWC will respond by taking San Jose State and Utah State from the WAC -- effectively killing the WAC as an FBS conference. As Idaho is a member of that conference, and as they apparently have no other possible conference affiliation open to them, they will likely be forced to drop FBS football. As the Board of Education is responsible for the well being of both institutions, it is rather surprising that they are not being advised of the impacts of this move on the University of Idaho.

Yoda out...


.

Good point. There could be quite a bit of discussion about this, given that two board members have direct UI ties, including one who currently teaches there and another who used to be president of the UI alumni association.

However AQ status has been such a holy grail for BSU that I'd be surprised to see the board stand in the way. The former head of the BSU athletic booster organization is also on the board.

(11-03-2011 01:30 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  

(11-03-2011 01:19 PM)Yoda Wrote:  Interesting that there is nothing about the impact on the University of Idaho. Specifically, if they approve Boise leaving then the MWC will respond by taking San Jose State and Utah State from the WAC -- effectively killing the WAC as an FBS conference. As Idaho is a member of that conference, and as they apparently have no other possible conference affiliation open to them, they will likely be forced to drop FBS football. As the Board of Education is responsible for the well being of both institutions, it is rather surprising that they are not being advised of the impacts of this move on the University of Idaho.

Yoda out...


.

Good point. There could be quite a bit of discussion about this, given that two board members have direct UI ties, including one who currently teaches there and another who used to be president of the UI alumni association.

However AQ status has been such a holy grail for BSU that I'd be surprised to see the board stand in the way. The former head of the BSU athletic booster organization is also on the board.

According to the Idaho Statesman, they only need 5 out of 8 votes to pass this. So even if the 2 board members with strong UI ties vote against it, it will still pass.

(11-03-2011 01:13 PM)Eagleweiser Wrote:  I did not see anything at all about Potato futures and will they expect an increase potato profit to justify paying the exit fees, I am sure that was just an oversight.

Quote:With more than one year advance notice the University will not pay the $5,000,000 exit penalty to the
Mountain West Conference and will, instead, only forfeit the annual conference
wide distribution for the 2012 season.

(11-03-2011 01:32 PM)Inigo Wrote:  According to the Idaho Statesman, they only need 5 out of 8 votes to pass this. So even if the 2 board members with strong UI ties vote against it, it will still pass.

But it may not pass today. A full western conference not only is better for Boise State but would protect Idaho's football program as it would so damage the MWC that they would have to merge with the WAC (under one banner or the other) So rather than eliminate Idaho football, it would put them in a much stronger position.

I think Kustra may get sent back to negotiate a full western division -- and tough about SMU's and Houston's basketball aspirations.

Yoda out...


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(11-03-2011 01:19 PM)Yoda Wrote:  Interesting that there is nothing about the impact on the University of Idaho. Specifically, if they approve Boise leaving then the MWC will respond by taking San Jose State and Utah State from the WAC -- effectively killing the WAC as an FBS conference. As Idaho is a member of that conference, and as they apparently have no other possible conference affiliation open to them, they will likely be forced to drop FBS football. As the Board of Education is responsible for the well being of both institutions, it is rather surprising that they are not being advised of the impacts of this move on the University of Idaho.

Yoda out...

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So... Boise State = much more revenue, $300K more expenses.

Idaho = eliminate overhead from substandard football program, saving taxpayers significant money.

University of Idaho's football program loses over $1MM (net) annually.

See:

http://www2.indystar.com/NCAA_financial_...ool_id=166

Taxpayers in Idaho would be gaining $8MM or more on the Boise side, and saving another million on the Univ. of Idaho side.

Boise intends to move in 2013, not 2012.

Makes sense for the service academies as well. It would be next to impossible for Navy to cancel at least seven of their 2012 football games at this time, and AFA, like Boise, would pay a much smaller exit fee by leaving in 2013.

The way its written, it looks like they have every intention of jumping.