I had a long discussion with a Bronco friend of mine about Hawaii’s benefit to the WAC. This particular friend of mine is pro-WAC.
This previous season (2009), Boise State was able to schedule 13 regular season games and go 13-0 before beating TCU in the Fiesta Bowl. According to the Fiesta Bowl, Boise State and TCU brought $23.8 million to the non automatic qualifying schools as a result of their successful seasons and being ranked high enough in the BCS rankings. One difference between TCU and Boise State was their regular season record. Boise State had one more victory than TCU in the regular season. How is this possible?
According to NCAA rules, teams that play Hawaii on the road are able to make up their travel expenses to and from Honolulu by scheduling another game. The intent is to recuperate the travel costs to and from Hawaii which are an estimated $1 million for most WAC teams. Hawaii is the only football-playing school in the nation where this is possible. What was Boise State’s thirteenth game? Boise State scheduled a home game with FCS UC Davis of the Great West Conference. NCAA rules allow FBS teams to play one FCS team per year which counts towards bowl eligibility. Boise State received an estimated $2.25 million in revenue for this game.
Here comes the math. If Boise State earns $2.25 million for scheduling a home game, spends $1 million on travel expenses to and from Hawaii, pays an FCS team $400,000 to play in Boise, then that leaves an estimated $850,000 that Boise State is able to add to its overall athletic budget. Therefore, Hawaii is worth an estimated $850,000 to Boise State this year.
What else is interesting about this topic is that many teams in 12-team conferences across the nation may end up playing a thirteenth game as a result of a conference championship game. However, in that case, it’s a game in which they must play. They cannot schedule any conference championship game they please. Why is this significant?
Because Boise State is able to schedule a team that gives them a tune-up type of game early in the season as a result of having a more flexible five-game out of conference schedule. Don’t underestimate the importance of having a game which allows second and third string players to receive playing time. Though it may not show outwardly depth allows a team like Boise State to run the marathon that is the college football season and have its starters fresh late in the year, i.e. TCU on January 4.
Boise State is a football program that Utah State is striving to become. Take note, Aggie fans. And note the value of WAC membership which includes Hawaii and the thirteenth game biannually. If Aggie fans can appreciate it, they’ll be one step ahead of Bronco fans when the day of successes comes. The grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence.
