ESPN lands college football's BCS series from 2011 rhrough 2014
Walt Disney Co.'s ESPN network bought the rights to broadcast college football's Bowl Championship Series from 2011 through 2014.
ESPN outbid News Corp.'s Fox network, which was paying $82.5 million annually over four years to show the Orange, Sugar and Fiesta bowls, plus the BCS championship game. The other BCS game, the Rose Bowl, has been shown by Walt Disney's ABC for the past 21 years. Under the new agreement, ESPN has the rights to the BCS national championship game in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
ESPN didn't disclose terms of the agreement. The Sports Business Daily reported that ESPN bid $125 million a year, $25 million more than Fox.
"This is a big deal," said Neal Pilson, a former CBS Sports president who now runs his own media consulting firm in New York. "It's a clear signal that college football and major sports properties in general are still somewhat resistant to downturns in the economy."
A global credit crunch has slowed the economy, damaged consumer confidence and led to a jump in unemployment. The U.S. jobless rate in October rose to the highest level since 1994.
The contract is also attractive for ESPN because college athletics, unlike professional sports, are immune to potential labor troubles that can disrupt seasons, Pilson said.
The deal marks the first time in U.S. sports history that a major team sports championship game won't be shown on broadcast television, leaving about 15 million households unable to view the game.
The BCS grew out of a desire to crown a national college football champion without creating a playoff system or undermining the traditional post-season bowl games. The first BCS championship game was held in January 1999.
Football teams from 11 conferences, plus independents Notre Dame, Army and Navy, are ranked using a combination of polls and computer standings. At the end of the season, the top teams are pitted against one another in the Fiesta, Orange, Sugar and Rose bowls. The national championship game between the two highest- ranked teams is rotated among the four bowl sites.
This year's title game is in Miami on Jan. 8.
Fox's current four-year agreement, gives the network the right to televise the Fiesta, Orange and Sugar bowl games following the 2006-2009 regular seasons and the national championship game after the 2006-2008 regular seasons.
"Fox Sports made a very competitive bid," Fox spokesman Lou D'Ermilio said in a statement yesterday. "Unfortunately, the university presidents and BCS commissioners were not satisfied."
ABC's current four-year agreement gives it the right to televise the Rose Bowl after the 2006-2009 regular seasons and the national championship when it is played at the Rose Bowl following the 2009 regular season.
"ESPN felt like it really needed this, because college football is such a linchpin of their programming," said Pilson. "Fox isn't as invested in college football. They've got year- round sports with the NFL, Major League Baseball and Nascar. They didn't need it."
Louisiana State University's 38-24 victory over Ohio State in last season's national championship was seen by 24.8 million viewers, according to Fox.