I don't know where to find the stats, but the first measure is how many TVs are watching Bison football right now on Saturdays. You can't start anywhere but there. Then from the availability within the markets, there has to be some reasonable projections in a G5 or P5 conference. Now you have to do the same for BB. Those are the first figures that NDSU has to bring to the table before anyone would take a look.
If every one of those 400k homes with a TV were tuned into a Bison game on Saturdays, that probably get close to bringing in the bare minimum to get a token look today. Of course, that isn't happening. The bottom line is that the big money comes from the TV deals and a school has to show it can bring enough viewers to the table to cash in with advertisers. ESPN is certainly helping with national branding that could turn NDSU into a commodity that transcends the regional area. Even then, there has to be some long term projections keeping that going and how to work in possible apathy into the equation.
Boise State didn't garner new fans because of their program. They garnered the viewership of football fans because they were willing to play on other nights of the week and fans wanted to watch football. Any football. It was a gimmick that worked and Boise was the recipient of it. There certainly isn't new BSU fans out of it all. NDSU could pull off gaining new fans out of more exposure because everything about ND and Fargo is straight up goofy and interesting to anyone not from here. The interesting part of all of this is how much and for how long. I don't think there is enough there for any P5 conference to chance adding a school who might not bring equal food to the table and we all know the G5 is a lateral move at the moment.
I like dreaming as much as the next guy, but the reality is football isn't enough and we just don't have the support necessary yet to be as attractive. The wild card in all of this is ESPN. They are kingmakers and strange things happen when they get involved in things.