Boise State agreed to join the Big West Conference on Friday, completing a deal to send most of the Broncos athletic teams westward starting in 2013. As a result, the agreement helps the Broncos keep their nationally-ranked football team in the Big East — a move that could raise the school’s annual television revenue to $6.4 million, according to the Idaho Statesman.
But to make money, the Broncos have to spend some. The Big West will charge Boise State a $2.5 million entry fee, which is expected to be paid in five payments over five years. The Broncos will also have to fork over $750,000 per year in travel fees to visiting teams, and a one-time initiation fee of about $50,000, according to USA Today.
Money aside, Boise State will join San Diego State as new Big West members this upcoming summer, while Pacific exits the conference. And with the addition of Hawaii in 2012, the Big West will include 11 teams: Cal Poly, Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Northridge, Long Beach State, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UC Santa Barbara, Hawaii, Boise State and San Diego State.
“We are excited about our future membership in the Big West Conference and feel this will be a great fit for our program,” Boise State athletics director Mark Coyle said in a press release. “The Big West is a highly-respected conference with excellent leadership, led by Commissioner Dennis Farrell. The league will provide a competitive environment for our teams participating in the Big West.”
The Broncos were forced to look for a new home when their football team left the Mountain West Conference in order to join a conference with an automatic Bowl Championship Series bid — the Big East. The Mountain West does not accept partial members, and the Western Athletic Conference is set to dissolve next year, so the Broncos were left with few options.