here's an article on the BCS you might be interested in: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/UConn-made-the-BCS-and-all-it-got-was-this-loom?urn=ncaaf-296921
UConn lost significant money (likely 7 figures) this year on their bowl game.
When Florida won the BCS championship in 2008, the university's profit from the advertised $17 million payday amounted to $47,000 – and that was with in-state travel, to Miami. The Gators took a loss on their 2006 BCS title trip to Glendale, as did their opponent, Ohio State.
Just about everybody loses money on bowl games, or comes close – except television and the bowl games themselves, which is why they continue to exist
The Big East's payout to West Virginia for its trip to the 2008 Fiesta Bowl was $2,425,600, but the team's expenses totaled $3,495,000. That's a loss of $1,069,400.
Florida and Ohio State ran up more than $5 million in expenses in the 2007 BCS title game, finishing with a combined deficit of more than $600,000.
Texas A&M racked up losses of $489,978 for its trip to the 2006 Holiday Bowl.
Ball State lost $142,398 on its appearance last season in the GMAC Bowl.
Northern Illinois reported a loss of $154,125 for its trip last year to the Independence Bowl. That's considerably better than the $317,898 it lost for an appearance in the 2006 Poinsettia Bowl.
Ohio lost $277,550 for its trip to the 2007 GMAC Bowl. The university dipped into general reserve funds to pay the tab, weeks after the school dropped track, swimming and lacrosse. Funding those sports cost less than $200,00 annually.
Who's getting rich? The bowls, of course, or at least some of the people associated with them. In 2006, Outback Bowl president Jim McVay had a salary of about $490,000, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported. Gary Cavalli, the executive director of the Emerald Bowl, had a salary of $362,018 back then.
Does this surprise you? It's getting ridiculous. Last year, almost all the Wings games were on Versus and there was a huge uproar. The cable networks probably pay more. Hopefully there will be outlash and this won't happen again.
On Monday night only those wealthy enough to afford cable TV will be able to see the championship game between Auburn and Oregon. I am sure the leagues and teams have the right to chose who will broadcast the game, but it seems unjust to limit access to the most important national college football event to only those wealthy enough to pay money to oligopolies.
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Political & Elections -> Sports -> College Football National Championship to be Broadcast on ESPN Not the Free Networks
