Ferd Lewis: Boise State not happy with share of TV pie

If the Mountain West football games televised this fall are half as tenacious as the battle that has developed over the dividing of the TV money, it could be quite a season.

A week after membership exultation over their new six-year, $270 million TV deal, the conversation has turned to litigation with Boise State filing a complaint against the conference, which includes the University of Hawaii, in Idaho state court.

The issue paints a picture of Boise State vs. MWC discord that appears to go deeper than media deals, making you wonder if, given an opening, the Broncos might take the first opportunity that comes up to bolt the league.

Just last month, after a 12-1 Boise State was not selected for a New Year’s Day bowl game, football coach Bryan Harsin questioned whether the conference was doing all it could to support the Broncos.

But it all bubbled over after MWC commissioner Craig Thompson announced the contracts with CBS Sports and Fox on Jan. 9, and Boise State filed the complaint alleging the conference had breached an agreement with the school and was reneging on future terms.

A central issue is a $1.8 million annual bonus payment for TV rights that has been guaranteed the Broncos above and beyond what the other members get. Last year, for example, every school but UH, which is a football-only member, received approximately $1.1 million as their share of fees from CBS and ESPN. Boise, with the $1.8 million bonus, received a total of $2.9 million.

(UH kept its $2.5 million local rights fees from Spectrum but did not share in the MWC pot).

Boise State, with its national brand, has, for years, been the conference’s top TV attraction. The bonus stems from 2012, when the conference agreed to provide the payment to help entice Boise State to return to MWC after a brief dalliance with the Big East in what was called a re-entry agreement that listed no termination date.

But during the Jan. 9 media teleconference to announce the CBS and Fox deals, Thompson suggested Boise’s $1.8 payments would cease at the conclusion of the contract.

“As we move forward, that is the anticipation, that everybody’s membership agreements would get more germane and equal, if you will.

“But this will be the last Boise State separate negotiation for television rights,” Thompson said.

Additionally, according to the complaint, two conference members, who were not identified, voted against providing Boise State any additional bonuses under the new agreement.

According to the complaint, Thompson acknowledged during the MWC championship game between Boise State and UH that the Broncos were the driving force behind the new, more lucrative deal. In the conversation, the complaint said, Boise State president Marlene Tromp told Thompson, “… not only did Boise State expect to retain the $1.8 million guaranteed bonus set forth in the re-entry Agreement Amendment, but to also gain an additional proportionate share of the increased revenue from the new TV deal with Fox.” Perhaps, even double.

As it currently stands under the Jan. 9 deal, Boise State would get approximately $5.7 million while 10 other members would receive about $3.5 million. UH’s share would be calculated based upon final disposition of its new deal with Spectrum, which could come this month.

In the meantime, a MWC-issued statement read, “(Boise State) and the MWC are currently in discussions in hopes of bringing this matter to a resolution without litigation.”

You just hope that it isn’t UH’s cut that gets sacrificed for the sake of conference peace.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.