The Mountain West adjusted its TV bonus money to spread out the money more evenly across the league.
The Mountain West created a television bonus structure to keep Boise State around which paid a premium for games that were played on over-the-air, ESPN and ESPN2. Weeknight games paid out $300,000 while weekend games on those networks would take home $500,000.
That deal also gave ESPN first pick for five of the six Broncos home games, and thus guaranteeing more television money than the rest of the league. The rest of the Mountain Division by playing Boise State each year, and that left the West Division getting the short end of the stick by not getting to play the Broncos as often.