[NU Sports] New Rose Bowl contract

[Jonathan Hodges]

Here's an update on the Rose Bowl non-BCS situation from ESPN's Rittenberg:

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/bigten/0-3-490/Rose-Bowl-selection-change-could-hurt-Big-Ten.html

The Rose Bowl will be forced to pick a non-BCS league champion if one of its
regular conferences' champion (Big Ten or Pac 10) is in the National
Championship game - but only for one time through the BCS National
Championship rotation, and only for the length of the current contract (i.e.
once during the next 4 years, starting with the 2010-2011 season).  This may
be due to the fact that no non-BCS school has ever played in the Rose Bowl,
while 2 other BCS bowls (Fiesta, Sugar) each have had non-BCS schools at
least once over the past 3 seasons.

I would guess that this is a ploy by the other BCS bowls and conferences to
force the Rose Bowl to take such a team, especially after the Rose Bowl took
Illinois 2 seasons ago despite a 9-3 record (resulting in very low ratings,
by the way) - especially since 2 other bowls have been forced to take
non-BCS teams in recent years (the 4th, the Orange Bowl, had a real clunker
with VT vs. Cincy this past season even though they were both BCS conference
teams).

So, although this isn't a huge shift, it seems like the other
bowls/conferences are trying to do what they can to the Rose/Big Ten/Pac 10
for keeping their own cozy arrangement intact.

Jonathan

On Mon, Jun 1, 2009 at 9:16 AM, Sportsbiz <sportsbiz at gmail.com> wrote:

> That was my first instinct too Jonathan but I have seen this now in a
> couple of different places. It grew out of the SEC spring meetings which
> makes me think it a bit suspect.  I especially don't trust the SEC when it
> comes to anything having to do with the Rose Bowl or the Big Ten.
> Nevertheless, it could have been something that ABC/ESPN negotiated into the
> current contract in aanticipation of bidding for the BCS contract when it
> came up for renewal.  That would not have surprised although the Rose Bowl
> and the conferences agreeing to it would definitely surprise me, especially
> since the talk at that time was of the three parties pulling out the BCS
> altogether.
> Mark
>
> Mark S. Ament
> sportsbiz at gmail.com
> SportsBiz - The Business of Sports Illuminated<http://thesportsbizblog.blogspot.com>
> When it comes to sports, you know it's all about the money
> Stay tuned for the exciting new SportsBiz coming your way soon
>  Chat: Skype: marksament
> Contact Me: [image: Twitter]
>
>
> On Mon, Jun 1, 2009 at 9:26 AM, Jonathan Hodges <jonathanwhodges at gmail.com
> > wrote:
>
>> I don't know how correct this blog entry is - since the ABC/Big Ten/Pac 10
>> contract with the Rose Bowl actually didn't expire until 2013 (which was one
>> of the roadblocks in creating a playoff or Plus-One in coming seasons).
>> What I believe the article is speaking about is the new BCS contract with
>> the Orange/Fiesta/Sugar Bowls (& National Championship Game) which is
>> currently with FOX and will be going to ESPN starting with the 2010-2011
>> season.  The current Rose Bowl contract will remain in effect until 2013
>> (although there is a clause in the contract allowing ABC/ESPN to move the
>> game to ESPN if the other BCS games are also on ESPN, which they will be
>> beginning in January 2011).
>>
>> It isn't exactly clear how this rule will be applied, but seemingly it
>> means that a non-BCS conference champion will always be in BCS games.  Note
>> that since the addition of the National Championship game (making a total of
>> 10 BCS slots), such a team has always been included in the BCS (Boise State,
>> Hawaii, and Utah).  So, if this is indeed formalized, it wouldn't really be
>> turning over a new leaf.  And likely what will happen is that the lowest
>> bowl in the picking order (which rotates every year) will be stuck with such
>> a team - which is basically what happened in the past 3 years with the
>> aforementioned WAC/MWC teams.
>>
>> What will be interesting to see is what happens with the ABC/Big Ten/Pac
>> 10/Rose Bowl contract when it comes up for renewal - if ESPN will try to
>> combine it with the other contract to remove an obstacle to a Plus One or
>> playoff, or if the conferences and Rose Bowl continue to try and hold them
>> to tradition - although that tradition has been broken numerous times this
>> decade after the implementation of the BCS.
>>
>> Jonathan
>>
>> On Sun, May 31, 2009 at 10:44 PM, Sportsbiz <sportsbiz at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> I don't remember seeing this come across here before but if I missed in
>>> then
>>> I apologize.  Apparently, in the new BCS contract with ESPN, there is a
>>> new
>>> wrinkle to the selection of teams in the Rose Bowl.  Remember that
>>> ABC/ESPN
>>> have a separate contract with the Rose Bowl, Pac-10 and Big Ten, but now
>>> that they are all one big happy family again, I suppose this was all
>>> agreed
>>> to.  If the Rose Bowl loses a team to the National Championship game, it
>>> automatically takes the qualifying conference champion of a coalition
>>>  (i.e.
>>> non-BCS Six) conferences:
>>>
>>>
>>> http://blogs.ajc.com/barnhart-college-football/2009/05/29/sec-headed-to-a-big-payday-in-2010/
>>>
>>> So, the next time that USC makes the championship game the Big Ten gets
>>> to
>>> play Boise
>>> Mark
>>>
>>> Mark S. Ament
>>> sportsbiz at gmail.com
>>> SportsBiz - The Business of Sports
>>> Illuminated<http://thesportsbizblog.blogspot.com>
>>> When it comes to sports, you know it's all about the money
>>> Stay tuned for the exciting new SportsBiz coming your way soon
>>> Chat: Skype: marksament
>>> Contact Me: [image: Twitter] <twitter:%20msament>
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Jonathan W. Hodges
>> 1237 Emerson St Apt 2
>> Evanston, IL  60201-3577
>> (847) 736-2449
>> jonathanwhodges at gmail.com
>>
>
>


-- 
Jonathan W. Hodges
1237 Emerson St Apt 2
Evanston, IL  60201-3577
(847) 736-2449
jonathanwhodges at gmail.com