Presidents of the Big Sky Conference are questioning whether their schools' athletic programs are worth all the cost, especially in football.
"I think it's important to emphasize cost containment as opposed to cost reduction," said league Commissioner Ron Stephenson. "I don't think there's a move to try to reduce funding or anything like that. There are some schools that are evaluating where they are or where they might want to go. I'm not sure that's all bad."Some Big Sky schools have lost as much as $800,000 on football in a year, Stephenson said. Few made money, although Boise State was $250,000 in the black after the 1988 football season.
Stephenson said no presidents have mentioned dropping down to Division II, which offers scholarships based on need only. "I have heard secondhand that somebody has said that but I have not heard that."
The one sure thing is if the Big Sky decides to drop to a lower level of football, the conference can bid Boise State goodbye. The league's Division I status also could be in jeopardy because of an NCAA requirement that every school at that level must compete in six sports, two of which must be team sports.
BSU President John Keiser said any move by the conference to leave division I-AA would prompt the Broncos to seek their fortunes at the higher I-A level.
"We certainly don't intend to cut back in that sport (football) at all," Keiser said. "The income from that sport pays for a lot of others."
But he does not see any urgency to push the Broncos up the ladder to Division I-A.
"Sometimes it sounds like a convention of cab drivers," Keiser said. "There's a lot of independence. Everyone wants a quality program at minimal cost."
Stephenson said the price tag for sports is on the minds of school officials nationwide.
The Big Sky's Division I-AA status allows 70 football scholarships for a four-year program. Division II are allowed 45.
"I realistically don't see that as a viable option," Stephenson said of a Division II rating.