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Expansion Update: Boise State Given Approval to Join Big East, Could Join With Other Schools Next Week

By Patrick_the_Ruminator

As expected, the Idaho State Board of Education gave Boise State president Bob Kustra authority to join the Big East and find a new conference for the Broncos' Olympic sports. The vote was not unanimous but instead 7-1. The no vote came from a member from Moscow, Idaho (you know, where the Vandals play).

The Broncos will not join the Big East until 2013 to avoid paying the MWC exit fee. However, they will not be able to collect their portion of revenue from the conference next season. Among other things that came out of Kustra's statement, he described the MWC as "not the same conference we first agreed to join." He feels that it is vital that Boise State has a western partner in the move to the Big East. The anticipated Western division of the Big East that Kustra listed was Air Force, Boise State, Cincinnati, Houston, Louisville and SMU. Kustra also indicated that the Big East conference is talking to other schools in the west about joining. BYU is a school we've listed before. San Diego State is not. However, the Aztecs have let the conference know about their interest in joining the Big East (we'll let that sink in).

Remember the rumor we posted on about Boise State et al. joining "by Friday"? UCF president John Hitt wouldn't expect the Knights to be in the Big East by tomorrow but more like within a week. Stop me if you've heard that language before. Like Boise State, UCF, Houston and SMU wouldn't join the Big East before 2013 either.

There's nothing new to report on West Virginia's lawsuit. There will be Big East football games played this weekend though, in case you forgot due to all of the LSU-Bama hype.

Stay tuned to Big East Coast Bias for additional news on expansion by checking our Big East Expansion section and if things turn south, well check out the Big East Falls Apart section, too.

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