BCS / ESPN Contract - Done Deal

[GatorGrad]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3710477

So now ESPN controls the entire BCS, and the earliest that a four team playoff could happen is the 2014 season. Yuck. That said, I do prefer ESPN to FOX which had no business broadcasting those games. I don't need Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long, and Jimmy Johnson breaking down the BCS and College Football. FOX should stick to the NFL.

[CJHawkeyes]

We can hope that with the entire BCS back under one umbrella that ESPN will push for a four team playoff.

[GatorGrad]

Good point...at least it has a shot whereas when the package was shared between FOX and ABC, it had no chance...

[ZOOMBAG]

Of course, this now makes it easier for ESPN to eventually team up with major sports marketing firm for a playoff, get the networks on board and both sides rework the contract at any time. Contracts are renegotiated all the time when both sides see a better deal. The only real missing ingredient is a marketing presence with real money to drive the deal home. ISL went Chapter 7 in the middle of their proposal a few years ago, but someone a bit more financially sound with the right letter of credit will make ESPN and the Networks realize a college football playoff would rival the SuperBowl and certainly do even better than the NCAA bball tourney in revenues. Last legit estimate was a playoff would be worth $350,000,000-$500,000,000 a year. That's 3-4X what the BCS pays out.

[Hail to the Victors Valiant]

Absolutely, everyone involved will make more money under a playoff plus remainder bowls system.