Post by wvumaryjane on Nov 27, 2007 8:37:25 GMT -5
While claiming he holds no rooting interest in a 100th Backyard Brawl that could send the remodeled Big East's inaugural team into the Bowl Championship Series finale, commissioner Mike Tranghese yesterday said he and his staff already are at work to improve the conference's bowls future.
"The fact we may have a school playing in the national championship game is another giant step forward for our league," said Tranghese of No. 2 West Virginia (10-1, 5-1). "There's no more talk about whether the Big East belongs in the BCS."
But does it belong in lower-tier bowls in Toronto and Birmingham, Ala., where two of its nine-victory teams might play?
No major-college conference has a higher proportion of teams with nine-plus victories than the Big East: West Virginia, Connecticut, Cincinnati and South Florida. The Atlantic Coast, Big 12 and Southeastern have a third (four of 12), the Big Ten more than a fourth (three of 11).
"It's a big priority for us," Tranghese said in a league teleconference. The Big East bowl lineup includes an unaffiliated BCS berth, the Gator (with provisions), the Meineke Car Care, the Texas, the PapaJohn's.com in Birmingham, the International in Toronto and the Sun (with provisions).
"When we negotiated these contracts, this league [as constituted] had not even played a football game. We had no leverage. To be quite candid and blunt, we were lucky to get what we got. That being said, West Virginia two years ago wins the Sugar Bowl, Louisville last year won the Orange Bowl, the fact our [television] ratings have gone through the roof ..." all contributed to making league tie-ins more enticing.
Negotiations on new bowl-affiliation deals won't officially begin for another year. But, Tranghese said, "we're making progress. I think there's more interest in our league than there was four years ago. And I think our bowl lineup will be better than it is now."
www.post-gazette.com/pg/07331/837036-144.stm
"The fact we may have a school playing in the national championship game is another giant step forward for our league," said Tranghese of No. 2 West Virginia (10-1, 5-1). "There's no more talk about whether the Big East belongs in the BCS."
But does it belong in lower-tier bowls in Toronto and Birmingham, Ala., where two of its nine-victory teams might play?
No major-college conference has a higher proportion of teams with nine-plus victories than the Big East: West Virginia, Connecticut, Cincinnati and South Florida. The Atlantic Coast, Big 12 and Southeastern have a third (four of 12), the Big Ten more than a fourth (three of 11).
"It's a big priority for us," Tranghese said in a league teleconference. The Big East bowl lineup includes an unaffiliated BCS berth, the Gator (with provisions), the Meineke Car Care, the Texas, the PapaJohn's.com in Birmingham, the International in Toronto and the Sun (with provisions).
"When we negotiated these contracts, this league [as constituted] had not even played a football game. We had no leverage. To be quite candid and blunt, we were lucky to get what we got. That being said, West Virginia two years ago wins the Sugar Bowl, Louisville last year won the Orange Bowl, the fact our [television] ratings have gone through the roof ..." all contributed to making league tie-ins more enticing.
Negotiations on new bowl-affiliation deals won't officially begin for another year. But, Tranghese said, "we're making progress. I think there's more interest in our league than there was four years ago. And I think our bowl lineup will be better than it is now."
www.post-gazette.com/pg/07331/837036-144.stm
