The pros and cons of the Big West as an athletic conference for non-football sports will be on the minds of Boise St. Broncos decision makers as they evaluate an emerging option to help the school stay on course to play football in the Big East.
As reported earlier, San Diego St. Aztecs, also bound for the Big East in football, have committed to participation the Big West for their other sports and has introduced Boise St. for consideration in the league. The Big West is comprised largely of colleges along the California coastline though Hawaii is set to join the league too.
An interesting nuance to the move was reported today by the Idaho Statesman:
The Aztecs are set to join Boise State as football-only members of the Big East next year. However, if the Broncos were to remain in the Mountain West for lack of a good home for its other sports, the Big East could opt not to keep San Diego State, which would push the Aztecs back to the Mountain West in all sports and deprive the Big West of a long-coveted member.
The prospects of retaining San Diego St., which is viewed as a premiere basketball program, may hinge on accepting Boise St.
U-T San Diego has more:
If Boise State decided to stay in the Mountain West, both SDSU and the Big East would have a decision to make. Would the Big East still want SDSU without Boise State? If so, would SDSU still want to make the move without its western travel partner?
SDSU Athletic Director Jim Sterk said such scenarios are "speculation" and that SDSU would try to help Boise find a suitable home.
SDSU’s contract with the Big East says that neither party would be obligated to each other if there isn’t at least one other football member west of the Rockies.
Adding Boise to the Big West doesn’t figure to be an easy sell to league executives. All of its teams are in California except Hawaii. Last year, the Big West wasn’t interested in Boise. What changed?
"What’s changed is the world is changing before our very eyes with conference realignment," Farrell said.
He said there was no "power play" to get new consideration for Boise.