Crossposted on 43rd State Blues
In many people's eyes, the Broncos were the best thing that ever happened to Idaho. This little sandlot of a state was now on the big screen, in the big time. Bronco pride and fever ran deep, and so did sales of tickets, paraphernalia and other goodies.
The giddiness was not lost on the BSU administration. Eyeing the big paydays of the New York area television market, the Broncos were set to leave the Mountain West Conference and join the much more lucrative Big East, after this season.
And to those who said that the miracle finish in 2007 when Boise state beat Oklahoma was a Cinderalla story -- a one hit wonder -- the team went on to rattle off multiple championship and bowl victory seasons in the following years. They compiled some of the best winning statistics in all of college football.
But the big dance may finally be over; for now, at least.
Boise State's future of playing football in the Big East could be in severe jeopardy. Today, the seven basketball-playing Catholic colleges of the Big East announced their decision to leave the league, according to the USA Today.
Marquette, Villanova, Seton Hall, St. John's, Georgetown, Providence and DePaul have made the decision to defect from the league based on the football moves the Big East has made.
Jeff Landers, Sports Director of LocalNews 8 is reporting that the league could be dissolved.
According to ESPN.com, the conference still doesn't have a television contract, which is only estimated between $60 million and $80 million with the basketball schools as a part of the package. ESPN is reporting the value could drop 15 or 20-percent with the loss of the seven schools.
That would affect BSU's television revenue as a football-only member of the Big East.
And here's a fascinating take from a blogger on D.F. Oliveria's Huckleberries:
Sometimes when you’re chasing dollars and swing for homeruns you strike out. Same applies to (University of Idaho); independence chasing dollars by staying in WAC as long as possible to maximize their share of the payout the defecting schools owe the WAC and body game bag payouts.
BSU chasing the higher dollar TV contract they thought was inevitable by going to the Big East. Tough spin job for (Boise State President Bob) Kustra on this one.
Money hungriness. Win at all costs. Bigger is better. The trend can be deadly. But is it reversible?
A Local 8 commenter wrote:
Boise is not in a tough spot. They just stay in the open arms of the Mountain West and forget this ever happened. It was a colossal blunder than can still be undone, remarkably easily. No court in the world would hold them liable for any breach of contract with the Big East as it is about to be constituted.
I hope they do.