5th. Bowl

[50's PONY]

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Posted on Sun, Mar. 07, 2004



Adding 5th BCS bowl adds many questions

By Wendell Barnhouse
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

Three months to the day after the Bowl Championship Series ratings set up a split national championship possibility that became reality, the college football postseason underwent another seismic shift.

Last Sunday in Miami, a truce was called between the presidents of the BCS and the Presidential Coalition for Athletic Reform. The two sides announced that increased access and revenue through a proposed fifth BCS bowl game would solve Division I-A's postseason problems ... for now.

The surprise announcement spawned many questions; here are some answers.

What were the key factors that led to the tentative agreement? Improved access for five conferences -- Mountain West, Mid-American, Conference USA, Western Athletic and Sun Belt -- plus an increased slice of the BCS revenue. A team from those conferences that finishes 12th or better in the BCS ratings is guaranteed a BCS bowl berth.

The key to the agreement was a two-letter word. Teams qualify at 12th or higher or at 16th or higher if the champion from one of the current BCS conferences is ranked 16th or lower in the BCS rankings.

What's next? The details of the agreement are being put to paper. Then, all 11 I-A conferences have to agree to the changes. Assuming that happens, negotiations for a new television contract (to start with the 2006 bowls) will commence, along with fielding proposals from current bowls that want to become the fifth BCS bowl.

The best-guess time frame: A television agreement could be in place by late this year and a fifth bowl will be finalized by then or by early 2005.

What are the chances of a Division I-A playoff? Even less than zero. Assuming the market place supports it, the new five-bowl BCS format will be in place at least through the 2010 season.

"There is no sentiment of any significance for a national playoff, based upon academic reasons and the welfare of the student-athletes," said Oregon President Dave Frohnmayer, chairman of the BCS Presidential Oversight Committee.

Will increased BCS access reduce the gap between I-A's "haves" and "have nots"? Nope. The teams in the five conferences not currently BCS members figure to double the $100,000 they each receive from the current revenue sharing plan.

The disparity comes in the bowl games outside the BCS Big Four. Subtracting the eight teams that played in BCS bowls and the approximately $85 million they earned, the Big Six conferences placed 32 teams in bowl games that generated approximately $60 million.

The Little Six conferences placed 15 teams in bowl games that generated approximately $12.5 million.

"That's an issue outside of the BCS," Sun Belt commissioner Wright Waters said. "A certain amount of that is driven by the economy. It's supply-based economics."

What changes have been made in the BCS ratings formula that could prevent a repeat of last season's controversial split national champions? None, yet. When the commissioners who run the BCS meet in Phoenix on April 26-27, they'll be busy ironing out the details of the new agreement, plus looking at how the ratings formula that decides the 1 vs. 2 matchup needs to be improved.

Is the Rose Bowl happy being a part of the BCS? Apparently, yes. The Rose is about to start negotiating a new television contract with ABC. Now that the BCS landscape has been changed, both sides can go about working out a deal that will kick in after the 2005 season.

After the 2001 and 2002 seasons without its traditional matchup, the Rose was happy getting the Southern Cal-Michigan game last season. An alteration in the BCS selection process should give the Rose a better chance of matching Big Ten and Pac-10 conference teams.

"No one associated with the Rose Bowl has said anything about dropping out," Rose Bowl chief executive Mitch Dorger told the Los Angeles Times.

Which bowls are interested in joining the BCS as the "fifth" bowl? It might be easier to list which aren't. The Capital One in Orlando, the Gator in Jacksonville and the Outback in Tampa have expressed interest. However, if the Orange stays as a BCS bowl, that would put two BCS games in Florida.

Placing another BCS game in between the current four -- from east to west, Miami, New Orleans, Tempe, Ariz., and Pasadena, Calif. -- would put the Texas bowls in the mix. Of the big three Lone Star bowls, the Houston Bowl and Reliant Stadium makes the most sense.

Which if any of the current BCS bowls could be hurt by expanding the BCS access? The Cotton and the Capital One (assuming neither becomes the Fifth Bowl).

The Cotton matches teams from the Big 12 and the Southeastern conferences; the Capital One matches teams from the Big Ten and the SEC. Adding a fifth bowl also adds more at-large spots for power leagues such as the Big 12, SEC and Big Ten. That could mean a reduced number of top-shelf teams to invite for the Cotton and the Capital One.

Who made this new deal possible? NCAA President Myles Brand was the "facilitator" who made sure both sides reduced the rhetoric to concentrate on reaching an agreement. The two sides met for nearly eight hours Sunday, but only spent an hour in the same room. Brand was the main go-between.

Big 12 commissioner Kevin Weiberg also was a major factor in helping the deal come together.

"Kevin worked his tail off," said one conference commissioner. "He's poised, he understands the political dynamics. He works in a very calm, measured and respectful way."

What about Notre Dame? As an independent, Notre Dame qualifies for BCS games as an at-large team. With more BCS bowl slots, the Irish's chances to be selected increase.

Currently, the BCS guidelines allow Notre Dame to qualify for the at-large team selection pool if it finishes with at least nine victories or is ranked in the top 12 of the BCS rankings.

Also, Notre Dame qualifies as an at-large team if it has nine victories or is in the BCS' top 10 if a non-BCS team is an automatic qualifier under the current guidelines (ranked sixth or higher in the BCS standings). That clause could be eliminated.


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Wendell Barnhouse, (817) 390-7760 wbhoops@star-telegram.com





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© 2004 Star Telegram and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.
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[The PonyGrad]

Teams qualify at 12th or higher or at 16th or higher if the champion from one of the current BCS conferences is ranked 16th or lower in the BCS rankings.

This is key since the BE is now more of a paper tiger, but what if say 3 non-BCS teams are 16th or better in that scenario? Hey, it could happen.

[Water Pony]

Sporitng News Yesterday

Matt Hayes /
Posted: 1 day ago
So now we have a fifth BCS game. The latest in a seemingly never-ending line of questions: Which bowl game is No. 5? The Gator Bowl in Jacksonville is the leading candidate, especially if the city shows it can handle the Super Bowl next year. But there is a strong preference among some BCS insiders for the Capital One Bowl in Orlando because of the city's passion for college football. Orlando's outdated Citrus Bowl stadium is a major obstacle, though, because of its revenue-generating limitations with no club seats and few skyboxes. The Cotton Bowl also likely will bid, but its stadium situation is worse than the Citrus Bowl's. . . .

[gostangs]

Somebody who knows help me here - is there any requirement for the 5th bowl to include any of the little six conference teams if they are below 12th? If not - why would they? - seems like they will go with TV and attendence numbers - bigger schools farther down the food chain that year.

If that is the case, the way the rankings are determined - would a little six confernece school get in with even one loss?

If not, seems like we are selling our collective souls for a $100,000 grand raise. that aint gonna do much for anyone. I like our chances in a law suit better. They should have held out for more money. Or carved out the WAC and Sunbelt so we don't all go down with the ship - we close the door right behind us or all but the BCS are sunk.

Problem is the people doing the negotiating for us are all hired hands who have to play nice becuase they might be talking to their next employer. Trustees from numerous little six schools start talking to each other and getting involved or this is already over and we can just go ahead and get ready for our big rivalry with Trinity.

[NavyCrimson]

your last paragraph nailed it for sure - you're sooooooooo right!

[The PonyGrad]

Look at the BCS poll last season. The future BE had none in the top 25 while the "other 6" had

Miami of Ohio at #11 with one loss,

Boise St. at #17 (<.5 below #16) with one loss,

TCU at #18 with one loss.

THAT IS TWO ESSENTIALLY THERE WITH ONE LOSS!

But this points out the absurdity of GIVING the BE a guaranteed spot.

[ponyte]

A cartel functioning as a monopoly doesn't share with competitors. One would not expect the BCS to even remotely consider allowing non cartel competitors a chance at the riches the cartel enjoys. BE probably was allowed to stay in to avoid nasty little monopoly litigation. After all, the BE would have inside information as to the functioning of the cartel.