Boise State Football: 3 Reasons the Big West Adds the Broncos' Olympic Sports

The recent news of the demise of the Western Athletic Conference has many Boise State fans chewing their finger nails or fearfully calling for a return to the safety of the desert island known as the Mountain West.

The problem is that the Olympic sports programs at Boise State were going to join the WAC, while the football program planned to join the Big East. As it stands now, that is all in jeopardy because the Broncos may not have a home for their other sports programs. Thus, the panic in Bronco Nation seems to be rising.

However, before the panic reaches a fevered pitch, one might remind those same fans that the Broncos are known for pulling out incredible comebacks. Of course, it sometimes takes trickeration and some creative thinking, but again, that is no problem for Boise State.

The way it looks right now, the WAC could be saved as an Olympic sports conference, but it is anyone's guess if that can happen. You can be sure that Boise State will not sit idly and wait for its destiny to be decided by the survival of the WAC.

Instead, you can fully expect the Broncos to make another push to place their Olympic sports in the safe harbor known as the Big West Conference.

Brian Murphy of the Idaho Statesman has reported that the Big West is set to meet next week to discuss many issues, but one of them will be possible expansion. That doesn't mean an answer will come out of those meetings, but at least it is a place where the discussion of adding Boise State could ensue.

The way it appears at this point is that there are three big reasons why the Big West could choose to accept Boise State this time around.

1. Reputation 

Boise State has built a solid reputation in football, and that could transfer over to selling tickets and bringing attention to Olympic sports in the Big West Conference.

The Broncos could generate a buzz for a conference that is sometimes forgotten on a national scale, and help elevate energy and attendance.

2. Travel Subsidies

The Big West recently added Hawaii and San Diego State. The Aztecs didn't have to pay any travel costs for teams in the conference simply because of their California location. However, the Warriors must underwrite the costs of teams traveling to the islands. This was one of the requirements for Hawaii being accepted into the league.

Boise State is not as far as Hawaii, but it isn't in California either. Even if half the residents of Idaho relocated from the Golden State, the distance still exists.

However, it should be no problem for the Broncos to make a similar deal to the one the Warriors made. Look for Boise State to offer reasonable travel subsidies when approaching the Big West.

3. San Diego State

One overlooked angle in this whole Big West and Big East dilemma is San Diego State. Remember, they were added to the Big East to be Boise State's western travel partner.

The Big West was delighted to add a solid nationally-ranked basketball program like the Aztecs, and the last thing they want to do is lose them now.

If Boise State is forced back to the Mountain West, the Aztecs may have to follow. This is certainly something the Big West will want to avoid.

Solution

The simple solution here seems to be for the Big West Conference to add the Broncos with reasonable required travel subsidies.

This would bring even more clout to a newly expanded Big West without taking on additional costs or losing a premier member in San Diego State.