(12-30-2020 02:13 AM)bullet Wrote:  

(12-30-2020 01:59 AM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(12-30-2020 01:17 AM)Stugray2 Wrote:  Boise has invested way too much in their Olympic Sports to throw them away. They want them to be as big time as Memphis or Cincy, not as small time as Long Beach State or Idaho. This is why they pressed the American for all sports inclusion. The WCC is probably the minimum they'd consider, but even that is a step down from the Mountain West (everyone else than Gonzaga). Unlike the Big Sky Boise has a real Arena and belongs in an Arena league not a gym league.

It was the American that balked at travel to Boise, not Boise who balked at travel to the American for Basketball and Volleyball.

Boise is more than double the budget of Idaho and Idaho State, and their donation base triple. The days of level playing field are long gone, as in over a generation and a half, maybe two full generations.

They pressed the AAC for an all sports invite when it became clear Big West and WCC were clearly not going to quickly emerge as options (and might never emerge as options---but that is not known yet). Like I said---this will be revisited in after the Covid crisis has eased. By then---I suspect the WAC will have emerged as a viable home if the WCC and Big West still have no interest.

The WCC would not be interested. They are all privates. The Big West unlikely to be interested. Hawaii offers Hawaii. And they are good in similar sports. I don't know what Boise offers the Big West other than a long road trip. MVC would not be interested. WAC would gladly take them. Don't know about the Big Sky.

Boise offers the 2020s Big West money, geographic balance that reduces travel subs for Hawaii*, allows for more ooc flexibility and perhaps, a conduit for scheduling agreements with the AAC.

* Boise enables a north/south divisional setup with one non-CA member in each. Boise in the north, Hawaii in the south. Back to 16 conference games in volleyball and basketball, just like Boise's previous stint in the late 90s.

Since they aren't obligated to provide a travel subsidy to UCSD (south), Cal State Bakersfield (north) or Boise (north), Hawaii's travel subs will be reduced in volleyball and basketball by at least 12.5% every year and in some years, as much as 37.5%. Soccer and softball travel costs will also be reduced for Hawaii in most years due to not having a full robin schedule.

There's more positives to their return than not.