Double-host format coming to BCS system
By John Henderson
Denver Post Staff Writer
Pasadena, Calif. - Big 12 commissioner Kevin Weiberg handed off his Bowl Championship Series coordinator job to Mike Slive on Wednesday, and the Southeastern Conference commissioner indicated the popular "plus-one" championship format is not dead.
While the new "double-host" system is in place next season through 2010, it doesn't rule out a plus-one system in the future. Starting next season under the double-host format, a fifth BCS bowl will be added with the BCS title game played Jan. 8, one week after a bowl at the same site. Next season, the Fiesta Bowl will double-host, and the role will rotate to the Sugar, Orange and Rose bowls in subsequent years.
The plus-one format, popular among BCS critics, would have the four bowl games, then the two highest-ranked teams after those bowls would meet in the title game a week later.
Slive, speaking at the Football Writers Association of America's annual breakfast, said the double-hosting system "creates a structure that would tolerate that format."
"It will be interesting to see exactly how that works," he said. "There may be some pluses. There may be negatives."
For the format to change before the contract expires in 2010, the ruling university presidents and Fox Sports, which owns the TV deal, must agree.
"I think it is incumbent upon us to continue in our own conferences, in our own group of commissioners, to talk about the alternatives," Weiberg said. "For change to occur, there's going to have to be some things change outside our circle."
http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_3372765
By John Henderson
Denver Post Staff Writer
Pasadena, Calif. - Big 12 commissioner Kevin Weiberg handed off his Bowl Championship Series coordinator job to Mike Slive on Wednesday, and the Southeastern Conference commissioner indicated the popular "plus-one" championship format is not dead.
While the new "double-host" system is in place next season through 2010, it doesn't rule out a plus-one system in the future. Starting next season under the double-host format, a fifth BCS bowl will be added with the BCS title game played Jan. 8, one week after a bowl at the same site. Next season, the Fiesta Bowl will double-host, and the role will rotate to the Sugar, Orange and Rose bowls in subsequent years.
The plus-one format, popular among BCS critics, would have the four bowl games, then the two highest-ranked teams after those bowls would meet in the title game a week later.
Slive, speaking at the Football Writers Association of America's annual breakfast, said the double-hosting system "creates a structure that would tolerate that format."
"It will be interesting to see exactly how that works," he said. "There may be some pluses. There may be negatives."
For the format to change before the contract expires in 2010, the ruling university presidents and Fox Sports, which owns the TV deal, must agree.
"I think it is incumbent upon us to continue in our own conferences, in our own group of commissioners, to talk about the alternatives," Weiberg said. "For change to occur, there's going to have to be some things change outside our circle."
http://www.denverpost.com/search/ci_3372765