Battle Over the Future of College Football Bowls Heads to Congress By Jesse J. Holland Associated Press Writer Published: Sep 3, 2003
WASHINGTON (AP) - Days into the new college football season, Congress will get a chance to hear from some of the sport's most powerful figures about the best way to determine a national champion. Some schools shut out from the automatic bids in the Bowl Championship Series claim the system amounts to an illegal monopoly, giving the biggest schools the best shot at the lucrative bowl postseason. But even one of the Bowl Championship Series' most vocal opponents wants Congress to stay out of the postseason plan. "Whatever issues may exist, it really should be worked among the university presidents without the intervention of Congress," said Tulane University's president, Scott Cowen. He founded an anti-BCS organization designed to get schools such as Tulane a better shot at one of the bowl games. Joining Cowen on the witness list at a House Judiciary Committee hearing Thursday on the BCS were NCAA President Myles Brand, Big Ten Commissioner James Delany and former pro quarterback Steve Young. While no one expects legislation to result, both supporters and detractors of the bowl system were hoping to the best public face possible on their arguments. Cowen's Presidential Coalition for Athletic Reform and BCS representatives are to meet in Chicago on Monday to discuss the series' future. The current BCS contract expires after the 2005 season and the 2006 bowl games. BCS supporters say the system does not violate antitrust rules because it is open to all schools through two at-large bids. "The BCS is giving the public exactly what it wants - a national championship game and other high-quality bowl matchups that appeal to fans while being open and inclusive of all Division I-A institutions," Delany and Kevin Weiberg, the Big 12 commissioner, wrote in an opinion piece offered to newspapers last month. (snip) http://tinyurl.com/m5mt ______________________________________________________ RollTideFan - The University of Alabama Athletics Discussion List "Welcome to RollTideFan! Wear a cup!" To join or leave the list or to make changes to your subscription visit http://listinfo.rolltidefan.net
