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college football • Boise State has backed out on a commitment to join the Big East and will remain a member of the Mountain West in 2013 — and San Diego State could be next to reverse course.
Boise State and the Mountain West announced Monday they had come to an agreement to keep the Broncos playing in the league they have been a part of the past two seasons.
Boise State left the Western Athletic Conference for the Mountain West after the 2010 season.
The Broncos were scheduled to join the Big East next year for football only. Boise State's other sports were going to compete in the Big West. But more recent defections from the Big East made Boise State reconsider. And the Broncos were able to cut a sweet deal with the Mountain West that could allow Boise State to cash in on its popular and perennially powerful football program.
The Mountain West recently restructured its television deal with CBS Sports Network to allow the conference to sell games to other national networks. The deal, which runs through the 2015-16 season, will net a $300,000 bonus for schools that appear on ESPN, ESPN2, NBC, CBS or Fox, with an additional bonus of $200,000 for a Saturday game.
"The benefits of geographic footprint, revenue, and national exposure have to be balanced against the changing circumstances of conference realignment," Boise State University President Robert Kustra said in statement.
San Diego State has continually said it is committed to the Big East, but now it has no West Coast partner.
Boise State will give the Mountain West 11 members next season, along with Fresno State, Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, Utah State, Colorado State, Air Force, Wyoming, UNLV and Hawaii for football-only..
NHL players make counteroffer
Hockey • The NHL players' union presented a counteroffer to the league Monday and waited for a response in the latest effort to resolve a lockout and start a shortened season. The sides met at NHL headquarters and negotiated for the first time since they met with a federal mediator on Dec. 13. The union said it expected a response from the NHL on Tuesday morning.
Royals reach deal with OF Chavez
baseball • The Kansas City Royals announced Monday that they have signed outfielder Endy Chavez to a minor league contract and invited him to big league spring training. The 34-year-old Chavez made his major league debut with the Royals in 2001. The fleet fielder hit .203 with two homers and 12 RBIs in 64 games for Baltimore last season, and played in four postseason games for the Orioles. Chavez is a career .269 hitter with 26 homers, 229 RBIs and 100 stolen bases in 11 seasons with the Royals, the Montreal-Washington franchise, Philadelphia, the Mets, Seattle, Texas and the Orioles.
From wire reports