The Western Athletic Conference has a new revenue-sharing formula for payouts should a WAC school play in a Bowl Championship Series football bowl, Commissioner Karl Benson says.

Two WAC school have played in BCS bowls: Boise State and Hawaii. Their multi-million-dollar payouts were shared with other WAC schools.

Benson says Boise State and Hawaii each took home 70% of the payout, with the WAC’s other schools sharing the remaining 30%.

There will be a one-year transition to the new formula, Benson says.

If Boise State or Hawaii gets into a BCS bowl after the 2008 regular season, they will retain 50% of the payout and the other WAC schools will share 50%. If any of the other seven WAC schools gets into a BCS bowl this year, they’ll keep 70% of the payout, leaving 30% for the others.

In other words, there are seven WAC schools that haven’t played in a BCS bowl: Fresno State, Idaho, Louisiana Tech, San Jose State, New Mexico State, Utah State and Nevada. They get one more shot at same 70% payout that Boise State and Hawaii got.

When the 2009 regular football season comes, Benson says, the 50-50 split will apply to all WAC schools.