The Boise St. Broncos status in the Big East Conference looks a little brighter ... thanks to the Big West Conference.
Brian Murphy, Broncos beat writer for the Idaho Statesman is reporting that the Big West will "entertain" a membership application from Boise State for the schools Olympic sports.
The Broncos have committed to join the Big East for football only in 2013. Though a member of the Mountain West Conference now, they had plan to place their others sports with the Western Athletic Conference. The WAC has lost several members however and is in a precarious situation. The MWC indicated earlier that Boise State could return on an all or nothing basis.
According to Murphy's blog:
The Big West Conference has agreed to "entertain" the possibility of Boise State joining the league for most non-football sports in 2013-14, Commissioner Dennis Farrell told the Idaho Statesman on Tuesday.
"We did talk about Boise State specifically and where we have come out on this is that we have agreed to entertain interest in Boise State would be the best way to put it," Farrell said. "We're open to at least explore the possibility."
The Big West sent Boise State "a new membership assessment tool that we use to gather information from potential new members," Farrell said.
Farrell said the league did not put a time frame on its decision, but Boise State needs to make a decision by June 30.
The San Diego St. Aztecs, also planning to join the Big East as a football memberin 2013, have already committed their other sports to the Big West and were reportedly helping Boise St. to find a home for their non-football sports as well.
While just a development, it is a dose of positive news for the Big East, which stood to lose if Boise St. opted to rejoin the MWC or another conference in order to unite all its sports.