Mountain West trims operating budget by 23 percent; clarity coming on basketball season
The Mountain West has trimmed its annual operating budget by 23% since March, conference spokesperson Javan Hedlund said Friday, and those savings are being distributed to member schools.
In March, COVID-19 forced the conference to cancel all spring championships. In June, cost-cutting measures were announced for the 2020-21 academic year, including canceling conference tournaments in baseball, men’s and women’s tennis and women’s soccer.
Hedlund said the budget cuts began with the cancellation of those conference-sponsored events, and those savings will be equally distributed among members. He also said annual dues paid to the conference may be reduced.
The rest of the cuts came from the Mountain West office, where eight staff members were either furloughed or laid off and most employees took salary reductions. The conference’s initial plan called for an 18% reduction to the office budget.
Boise State has implemented its own cost-cutting measures.
In April, the university announced all employees making more than $40,000 — including coaches — would be furloughed. In July, the school disbanded its baseball and swimming programs in a move athletic director Curt Apsey said would save about $2.2 million.
More cuts could be on the way if there’s no spring football season, which would cost the university at least $20 million.
In 2018-19, the Boise State football team generated $24.7 million in total revenue — almost half of the $50.6 million collected by the entire department.
Clarity coming for football, basketball seasons
Discussions about a spring football season and the start of basketball season are underway, Hedlund said Friday. Athletic directors, coaches, athletes, medical experts, trainers and event management staff have been working together to develop a model to present to the Mountain West Board of Directors.
The framework for football and basketball seasons will be dictated by NCAA parameters, and more clarity is expected Sept. 16 and 17 when the Division I council is scheduled to meet.
On Tuesday, CBS Sports’ Jon Rothstein reported the men’s and women’s basketball oversight committees will propose that the season start on Nov. 25.
That would keep Boise State’s men’s team on track to take part in this year’s Orlando Invitational on Nov. 26.
The Broncos opened the 2019-20 season on Nov. 5 with a 126-49 win over Life Pacific. The women’s team opened on Nov. 2 with a 79-39 win over Concordia.
This story was originally published September 4, 2020 at 2:37 PM.
