Boise State Answers Questions On Pac-12 Invitation (Full News Conference)

um I want to thank our staff for being here I haven't gotten to see everyone today uh thank you for taking time to come over obviously this is a big announcement for us and and really appreciate our staff I want to thank you all for being here and helping us tell our story I want to thank our president um who is instrumental in this and and very much helped through this process I want to thank ogc U Matt wild Matt mgee specifically uh it takes a team there are a lot of people that play a part in in a decision like this ultimately the timeline and and you know getting to this place of what I feel could be epic um and I also want to thank the Pack 12 um it's it's been a a a very um obviously stressful process but but very positive and and and you all know me well enough I'm very passionate uh especially when it's telling our story and to be included in something like this um I have so much Hope and Faith and and I'm bullish on on who we are and and what we can become and that's important to me that's important in terms of the decision that we made in in regards to what's best for our student athletes what's best for this institution what's best for this state and we are the front porch of Idaho and and that weighed heavily on on everything that went into this process and and ultimately why I'm staying in front of you I also want to uh say thank you to to the Mount West um it's going to be uh an uncomfortable two years we understand that um I have a lot of great relationships in the mount West I'm a a relational person and and that very much weighs on me I understand the uncomfortableness that that this has caused them and and some of my teammates in the Mountain West in terms of other athletic directors and I can't say enough about our commissioner Gloria and the work that she's done and and and just really grateful um for them uh but understanding I have to do what's best for Boise State and and and that's what I feel we did today in terms of this announcement uh when you think about our Revenue generation and revenue opportunities moving forward and and potential opportunities that we haven't even um put pen to paper on yet I feel uh very confident in in terms of where we're at today and where we're going to be 5 years from now we are investing in us and our future I'd mentioned the student athletes earlier and that's important to me I want 18 sport programs and I want them to be elite and part of my job is leading them through that and investing back into their programs I feel this provides that opportunity as well and ultimately our competitive Excellence when you look at the Pack 12 and and the history and tradition they are uh and and who we are and the brand we we we've built over the last 30 plus years that I'm so fortunate as as our leader to inherit my job is to is to enhance it and grow we're bar raisers we're going to continue to raise this bar and I feel this decision impacts us for many years to come it's always a great day to be a Bronco but today is special and it's a day we'll look back on and I'm excited for what's next with that open up for questions this has been a longtime dream for Broncos fans just you know when did it all come together and how did it all come together yeah I think you know three and a half years ago when I arrived I mean this conference reignment has been constant and and you're always thinking about I'm always thinking about what's next and as you saw the pack go through uh what they went through and and teams leaving into the Big 10 and the ACC you know and the Big 12 um that's when it really started you started thinking through that process and and ultimately our conference had the scheduling Alliance and and I'm really grateful for that this year and and I think it's going to help us from a strength of schedule standpoint and and so on and so forth um but once once those negotiations ended I think it really opened our eyes to to what possibilities could be in terms of recreating a conference and and to be a part of that on the front end and be a founding member with the other four Mount West or three Mount West schools and six in total um I felt like that was that was a really good opportunity for us to to run out the ground balls on and and that's what we did and and resulting in today's announcement obviously obviously a few more teams are going to be need is by 2026 how big of a say does poliy State and the other five schools have deciding those know good additions uh we have a seat at that table we're one of six and and ultimately as a group um we will we will determine what the future looks like a lot goes into that that process and and I can't speak uh specifically on on who and what that timeline is but we know we need to add at least two and everyone has a different preference and and that's where we'll come together as a group and figure out what that looks like uh moving forward you talk about this story of joining the Pack 12 they 109 years of Rich history all sorts of sports PSU is very dominant in football but what about other Bronco Sports in regards to how we fit in this new pack 12 yeah yeah I have the same expectations that I do for football uh I've been very open and public about that you know uh quite honestly it bothers me that that everyone views us as football and everything else you know I can go down the list and I know we don't have time but in terms of the success of of of all of our programs now are we a finished product no but I have a vision we have a vision and I have teammates in front of me behind you all that are bought into this Vision that we have 18 sport programs 350 Plus student athletes and our job is to do what's best for them and continue to invest in them and grow our overall brand as an athletic department I don't want to just be known as a football program and and I think the football program obviously they've created this foundation and we're all very grateful for that but I believe in what gord's doing I believe in what Tina is doing in gymnastics I believe in what Pat and what he's done already in track I believe in kayin and trainer and Allison and I mean the list goes on I need to make sure I mentioned everyone did I get everyone Schult Schult maybe not justtin I'm kidding I believe in Justin you know that's important to me and and I know it's important to our team and and that's what we represent when you're the front porch of a state you know we expect uh uh we respect competitive Excellence across the board and I'm really proud of our team through very uncomfortable times covid Etc new ad a lot of transition and they continue to show up and they continue to do the work and we continue to find success on and off the field of play it takes a team and and that's my vision that that all 18 sports are going to elevate because of this I know you said you won't name specific schools but when you look at you know who to add what are you looking for in in in a school for the other spots in the conference yeah I think it ties into the schools that that are you know obviously we chosen for this you know Innovation is important to us we cannot operate the same way as we have in the past and expect different results we cannot live in sanity we have to be different we have to think differently there's going to be other Revenue opportunities there's going to be uh um in terms of when we schedule our events and and what that looks like with this new media deal and so we need partners that that are going to buy into that Vision that we are not a finished product and in my opinion we have the next 5 years to determine the next 30 for us and we have to double down and I'm going to always bet on us the word that's been used a lot over the last 12 hours is like-minded the the Mountain West 4 and the Pack 2 what is the common thread that makes you guys like-minded the common threat um it's a great question Prader you know uh I think our competitive Excellence you know and talking to Those ads and as we went through these conversations hearing what their ultimate Visions are and their goals um it it's not surv suring there's a difference when you go out to survive versus succeed it's a different mindset it's what we've tried to build over the last three and a half years whatever we don't have we're going to go out and get if it takes us three years to get Shovel and ground if not longer in terms of the North End Zone we're going to find a way and the more I talked to those athletic directors the more that was apparent they are not settling they are going to invest and they're going to continue to be bar raisers at their own institutions I'm very grateful for them and we need to find people that are going to abide by that I don't want to live in sanity I can live with failure you know and and I'm not here to guarantee success that's not who I am I will guarantee our work ethic I'll guarantee and beted on my team and and I believe we can build something epic can you speak to the breakup fee uh the 17 18 million that'll be paid to the mountain mountain the Pack 12 will pick up some we've heard but going forward that $ 7 to8 million per year can a new television contract recoup that money correct great question and yes um we're going to end up we're going to get the terms out to everyone you know usually and this is you know not not just my decision it's our decision um usually I give you guys head coach contracts and whatever um especially you so you don't have to email me okay I wouldn't email you wouldn't email you wouldn't um but we are going to get those terms out and and I think uh um you you hit it right on the head it's going to be a combination of things but you know when you when you're weighing the risk reward there was too much reward for us not to take this risk there's always risk that's part of being a CEO in athletics or or an athletic director um there's always risk but I believe in in in what we're building and I believe there's there's a lot of potential and and ultimately it will be better for us in the long run you guys have to commit to any kind of Stadium expansion or infrastructure upgrades or anything like that I think I saw you said something Jay about new turf or we know about the North End Zone project but what else is yeah what Jay was asking me for those that that haven't seen what he put out is you know you all know me well enough that we're not stopping you know uh we're already on to what's next and I was mentioning future projects um and and the goal is uh not the goal we will get it done um to Turf The Outfield in softball we got to change out the grass and and the pitch as coach tells me um in uh soccer um and we got to replace the blue um you know they last about 8 to 10 years and and we're probably s or eight on this blue and when you look at the North End Zone we're probably going to have to replace some of it anyway so those are the projects to answer your first question BJ um there were no commitments as of yet you know when you think about the term sheet obviously we have to go through the long form um when you think about that uh you know potentially that could rise one of the things we have talked about as a group which I think is important are minimum standards we have to elevate and and we cannot go limping into this conference July 1st 2026 we are going to hit it ground running and between now and then it gives our team some a path that that we're going to continue to invest and and and put our best foot forward uh come July 1st 2026 what convinced you or what the potential Jeremiah of this new media rights deal that's going to come of this conference like what interests you about that potential yeah I mean once again you look at the success of the teams that that we're uh uh aligning with um you look at the potential teams that we could add you look at the various media markets you look at the Pack 12 Enterprises which I I'm I'm bullish on I see a lot of value in that um we're big on telling our story and streaming and and what's coming um I feel like this gives us an opportunity to be on the front end of creating something that could be epic and to have a seat at that table and it's much easier to create than it is to undo what's been done in the past and I think that's what what I saw that will lead to more Revenue opportunities um and and the list is endless our industry is changing by the hour and we cannot operate like it was 2005 we have to continue to think differently and and ultimately I think this is going to give us the best opportunity to do that and and you look at at the pack and and some of the things that they were well ahead of the curve on I I think those things still hold true today I don't think they were off base at all you know and and that hints the investment they had in Pack 12 Enterprises they were right on and and fortunately we get to be a part of that now and and I think that's going to result in ancillary Revenue opportunities and and we're always going to look in terms of our own Department were the media rights the key sort of factor here obviously the two most obvious paths were Mount West bringing in the two remaining Pack 12 schools or what's happening today yeah mount West has a long-term deal Pack 12 essentially no longer does they have the short-term I think CW deal was that kind of the thinking we go to pack we can sign a new deal over the mount West would be hobbled what was the well the mount West is going to go to to the market here soon too um I think when you look at at collectively the number of schools and how how that Pi is being split and I think that ties into the decision of how many schools we ultimately add I believe that we will even at minimum if we get to eight that we will have more revenue from our media right still than we currently have where where we're at and that's enough for me that that says this is this is a good decision couple people tried to pin you down on on timeline BJ did it this morning you just heard it here you've been very vague is there a reason why you're vague is there more specific vague in terms of what timeline terms of the timeline that this came together is there more specificity to be add and if not why um that that's a good question Don um obviously there's conversations that take place with various people um you know uh where this really started and and I believe I was more specific this morning but I'll be more specific now where the conversations really started to escalate was after the negotiations ended with the mount West and and the Pack 12 um in terms of the scheduling is uh Alliance yes and I and I believe I said this on on BJ's uh uh um show this morning um when you look at like the start of this week I was not envisioning standing in front of of you today um it escalated over the last 48 hours of this is happening are you in are you out we already had talked through numbers and various data points and I'm very analytical when it comes to decisions like that and and obviously conversations were taking place of whether or not we feel this is best um along with the ads talking to each other and and we got to a comfortable place last night when the term sheet was signed Dr Trump's testifying at big city today she's not here what role did she play in this uh very much part of it um you know I I don't there's not many things I do in our department that I'm not leading up into her and letting her know what's going on and why I think what I do and and so along the way I've brought her into the fold and and and kept her in the loop on here's what they're saying here's what I think and you get to a place uh that that we were both aligned and and we felt like this was what was best you talk about that risk versus reward and you mentioned some of the rewards that are going to be coming to BSU but for the Pack 12 what what's what's rewarding for the Pack 12 for you and the three other schools that are going to be joining well one they have two teams right now and ultimately they have a schedule Alliance for this year and not next year and so the value of creating a conference and and holding on to that tradition and history and brand that they represent um is extremely valuable um to them and and I think that was probably a driver you know everyone has options this was one of many options that that our team was looking at um everyone's goal is to improve their situation today that it's different tomorrow and and that's what they were doing through this and that's where those conversations escalated when we felt like all right there's alignment there is value and more value than where we're at and my job is to do what's best for Boise State