The Idaho State Board of Education approved a $2 million request from Boise State Athletics for the purchase of a new video board for Bronco Stadium on Wednesday.
The new video board will measure approximately 33-feet by 60-feet and include sound baskets and permanent advertising panels on the top and bottom.
“We are constantly and aggressively looking for ways to enhance the fan experience at Bronco Stadium,” Director of Athletics Mark Coyle said. “A new video board is a priority for us, and one of the first steps in moving in that direction is gaining approval from the State Board of Education. We appreciate the Board’s support as we move forward.”
The proposed funding sources include $1 million in donations, $750,000 from athletic reserves and a $250,000 stipend from Learfield Equipment.
A completion date was not provided. A source says the approval is just the first step of the process.
The current video board at Boise State was installed back in 2001.
— Jay Tust (Follow on Twitter: @KTVBSportsGuy)
The Mountain West Conference and the DIRECTV Sports Network announced they entered into a multi-year agreement on Wednesday, making ROOT SPORTS Rocky Mountain the television home for MW football and men’s basketball.
Beginning with the 2013-14 season, ROOTS SPORTS RM will produce and televise approximately 10 of the league’s football games, and a minimum of 25 noncoference and intra-conference men’s basketball games.
“This unique partnership will provide enhanced coverage and promotion for the entire MW membership,” said Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson. “ROOT SPORTS Rocky Mountain is an important component in an innovative, multi-platform exposure plan for the future of the league.”
ROOT SPORTS RM is the home of the Colorado Rockies, Utah Jazz, Big Sky Conference and the University of Denver, inaddition to the Mountain West. The newtork reaches approximately 2.5 million households across nine states.
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NOTE: While ROOT SPORTS RM is available in Boise on Dish and DIRECTV, it is not on CableOne, which carries ROOT SPORTS Northwest.
The Depute Commissioner of the Mountain West, Bret Gilliland, says “Games carried on ROOT SPORTS Rocky Mountain will generally not be available on ROOT SPORTS NW.”
“The only exceptions could be games involving Boise State, which could be carried on Norhwest,” Gilliland added.
“Our planned MW Ditigal Network will be the vehicle whereby Boise fans will be able to watch games in the Rocky Mountain footprint.”
— Jay Tust (Follow on Twitter: @KTVBSportsGuy)
Rocky Mountain CF Mason Smith will visit Braves, Diamondback, Mariners, Padres and Angels
Rocky Mountain senior Mason Smith was tabbed the 61st best available prospect for the 2013 MLB Draft by ESPN analyst Keith Law on Monday.
A further breakdown of Law’s “Top 100” shows he views Smith as the 25th best prep prospect and 14th best prep position player in this draft class.
The centerfielder is hitting .400 (32-80) on the spring, including a team-high six homeruns, 35 RBI and 16 walks in 27 games.
Smith has received interest from a bevy of organizations all season. His father, Tim Smith, confirmed his son will visit the Atlanta Braves, Arizona Diamondbacks, Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Angels between May 27 and June 3.
The MLB Draft starts with the first and second rounds on Thursday, June 6. The draft will resume with rounds 3-10 on Friday, June 7, and conclude with rounds 11-40 on Saturday, June 8.
Smith has also verballed to play college baseball at Utah.
Smith will be in action at the 5A Idaho State Baseball Championships this Thursday. Rocky Mountain plays Highland at Boise Hawks Memorial Stadium at 10:00 a.m. (MT).
— Jay Tust (Follow on Twitter: @KTVBSportsGuy)
Stockton, CA— The Idaho Steelheads saw their season come to an end on Saturday night, as the Stockton Thunder outlasted them 2-1 to win Game 5 of the ECHL Western Conference Finals. Stockton won the series four games to one, and advances to the ECHL Kelly Cup Finals where it will face Reading.
The Steelheads couldn’t find an answer for Thunder net-minder Olivier Roy. The standout goalie stopped 44-of-45 shots on goal in the win.
Idaho had plenty of chances to tie the game. The Steelheads outshot the Thunder 45 to 28. But the only shot that found the back of the net came off the stick of Tyler Gron, who hammered a redirected shot past Roy in the second period.
Josh Robinson stopped 26-of-28 shots on goal in defeat.
—Ryan Larrondo
Boise native and Bishop Kelly High School graduate Nick Symmonds may once again be in the national spotlight, but this time not for his success on the track. RunnersWorld.com is reporting the Symmonds may be showcased on ABC’s hit reality show The Bachelor.
Symmonds told the website that his publicist had informed him that the show may be interested in him.
In response, Symmonds said that he has mixed feelings about being on the show, and worried that his privacy would be completely gone. However, he also said that the possibility of maybe meeting his future wife was tempting.
Symmonds is a five-time U.S. 800-meter champion, and recently finished in fifth place at the 2012 London Olympics.
—Ryan Larrondo
