BOISE, Idaho – Boise State Athletics announced the creation of Boise State Sports & Entertainment Group, a full-service department that books and supports Boise State Athletics and non-Boise State Athletics sports and entertainment events at Albertsons Stadium and ExtraMile Arena, allowing the venues to host unique events year-round.
The formation of the first-of-its-kind, in-house department in college sports is the next step in integrating ExtraMile Arena within the athletic department as well as Boise State Athletics’ demonstrating its ability to host special events at Albertsons Stadium.
“With the increasing demand to host more special events and create revenue opportunities to support our Bronco student-athletes, this is the necessary next step to signal to industries outside of college athletics we are a top destination for major events,” said Jeramiah Dickey, Boise State Director of Athletics. “For several years, we have hosted awesome concerts at Albertsons Stadium and now we have Hot Wheels Monster Trucks and Banana Ball coming to town this summer. Add in ExtraMile Arena and its hosting over a hundred concerts and events each year as well as our longstanding partnership with the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, we are doubling down on these opportunities and going all in on becoming a 365-day destination for fans! What’s Next!”
The Boise State Sports & Entertainment Group will be led by Nathan Burk as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and Lisa Cochran as the Executive Director. Burk is in his sixth year at Boise State after joining the athletic department in October 2021 and has led the facilities, events, capital projects and operations for the Broncos over that time. He will continue to oversee those areas in his new role as well as steer the strategic priorities for the newly-created Sports & Entertainment Group. Cochran is in her 27th year at Boise State, having led a dynamic and experienced team of concert and special event professionals at ExtraMile Arena, in addition to providing support for concerts at Albertsons Stadium and the Outlaw Field Summer Concert Series at the Idaho Botanical Garden, produced by CMoore Concerts. Cochran brings a wealth of industry knowledge and relationships and will continue to oversee venue booking in addition to providing team leadership and managing growth objectives. Together Burk and Cochran will ensure the Sports & Entertainment Group continues to elevate the fan experience, and local offerings for sports and entertainment in the Treasure Valley.
Within the Boise State Sports & Entertainment Group will be events, event services, information and technology (IT), operations and capital projects, venue and production services, ticketing for special events, in-house event marketing, event merchandise operations, facilities and sports turf operations.
Albertsons Stadium, home of Boise State Football and The Blue, has become a top attraction for major musical acts in the last few years, including Garth Brooks in 2019, Luke Combs in 2023, and Post Malone and Jelly Roll in 2025. Each of the concerts were sold out with record crowds and provided the largest single-stage outdoor venue for concerts in the state of Idaho. This summer, Hot Wheels Monster Trucks will host its first major stadium event in the United States on June 6 while Banana Ball, which has sold out stadiums across the country, will make its first ever trip to the state of Idaho on July 31-August 1. It has also hosted a college football bowl game since 1997, which has been known as the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl since 2011 and airs annually on ESPN.
The Sports & Entertainment team also hosts thousands of campus and community events annually across all venues under Athletic Department management. The Stueckle Sky Center at Albertsons Stadium is one of the premier wedding, event and gala venues in the west. The four-level facility includes six individual banquet and meeting spaces. Each space features unique amenities and style, affording guests with an unforgettable event experience. All event spaces have sweeping views of the Boise bench, foothills and downtown skyline providing a stunning backdrop for a variety of campus and community events. The newly constructed North End Zone has three event spaces that will be available to host weddings, high school formals, banquets, galas, and other campus and community events.
ExtraMile Arena, which opened in 1982, has hosted concerts and events for the Treasure Valley since its opening. It is also the home of Boise State men’s and women’s basketball, gymnastics and select volleyball matches this upcoming season. As part of the new strategic alignment, it will continue to be the home of concerts and events for the community and expand on being a premium experience for special events. Last year, EMA hosted a stop on the Nate Bargatze Big Dumb Eyes Tour, setting a venue record for the most tickets sold to a single performance and making it the highest-grossing comedy event in venue history. The venue hosts on average more than 100 events annually and a total attendance of more than 400,000 in 2025-26.
Last week, Boise State Athletics announced the partnership with MMQ Group to undergo a feasibility study on improving the fan experience at both Albertsons Stadium and ExtraMile Arena. The work by MMQ Group, expected to be completed this year, will chart the path forward for both venues in fan amenities and improvements to the in-venue experience to open more opportunities for the Boise State Sports & Entertainment group.
The formation of the new department accomplishes one of the goals of What’s Next 2.0, Boise State Athletics’ strategic initiative, designed to identify new and impactful revenue generation opportunities and maximize the facility's role in advancing both the department and the campus community.
About What’s Next 2.0
What’s Next 2.0, is an updated strategic initiative designed to build on the foundation of the original What’s Next program launched in November 2021. The new framework emphasizes greater engagement, broader impact, and measurable results while maintaining competitiveness and an elite culture for Bronco student-athletes. The initiative has four pillars: Infrastructure, Revenue Generation, Marketability, and Bronco Experience.
About ExtraMile Arena
ExtraMile Arena (EMA) is the year-round heart of sports and entertainment, anchored on the campus of Boise State University. With a capacity of 13,390, EMA is a multi-purpose venue hosting concerts, performing arts, comedy, sporting events, and community gatherings. EMA is the proud home to Boise State men's and women's basketball, gymnastics, and in 2026, Bronco volleyball will return for seven nonconference matches, the first time since 2002.
EMA continues to evolve to meet the demands of elite athletic competition and top-tier touring productions. Ongoing investment has brought a state-of-the-art video and sound package to the building - a hollow center-hung video board with rig-through capability, ribbon boards, ADA-compliant closed-caption boards, and a concert-grade L'Acoustics sound system - all anchored by a world-class rigging grid with 72 feet of floor-to-low-steel clearance that makes EMA a destination for the industry's most ambitious productions. That work doesn't go unnoticed. EMA was named the #1 Best Event Center in Idaho and #1 Live Music Venue in Boise's Favorites 2025.
That same commitment extends to the fan experience. Renovated concessions, upgraded concourses, and a comprehensive ADA program with accessible seating on every level. New sensory rooms and sensory kits welcome guests with sensory sensitivities, and a dedicated guest experience team is on hand at every event. Together, these investments reflect a venue that refuses to stand still. Whether the audience is a fan, promoter, community partner, student, or student-athlete, the standard is the same: an experience worth repeating. Visit ExtraMile Arena for more information.