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Bowl Championship Series commissioners approved on Wednesday the
framework for a new postseason model beginning in 2006.
The "double-hosting" BCS model will begin after that 2006 season with the 2006-2007 bowls. The four existing BCS bowls -- Sugar, Fiesta, Rose and Orange -- will each play host to two games once every four years. The second game in the bowl will be the BCS title game matching the two top-ranked teams from the regular season.
The other four bowls will be a mixture of conference champions and increased at-large openings to provide access for any coalition teams that qualify. The addition of a fifth game means there will be two more BCS slots, bringing the total to 10. Counting the champions of the six BCS leagues, that would leave four at-large openings. It is expected that a coalition team (formerly "non-BCS") could qualify for one of those spots if it finished in the top 12 in the final BCS regular-season rankings.
Resolution of the issue was made possible when the Rose Bowl agreed to open a slot for coalition qualifiers under certain conditions. The most likely scenario is if the Rose loses either the Pac-10 or Big Ten champion to the BCS title game (No. 1 vs. No. 2). It was not immediately known how often coalition qualifiers would play in any of the four bowls.
A media conference call to make the announcement has been called for noon ET on Thursday. BCS Presidential Oversight Committee chairman Dave Frohnmayer (the Oregon president) and incoming BCS coordinator Kevin Weiberg (Big 12 commissioner) are expected to participate.
Double-hosting had been considered the most lucrative model for all parties. Aside from a playoff, it holds the most value for the networks, which must sell advertising to recoup rights fees paid out. Bowls must hold their worth in terms of ticket sales and payouts to teams.
BCS presidents weren't going to approve the "plus-one" model that had winning teams progressing to a championship game after playing what amounted to semifinal games in BCS bowls. Commissioners were told by presidents in February to add a fifth game (if the market supported it) to accommodate coalition teams.
It is expected there will be a continuation of "anchor" conferences for each bowl -- the Big 12 in the Fiesta, SEC in the Sugar, ACC in the Orange and Pac-10 and Big Ten in the Rose Bowl. When any of those bowls lose a conference champion to the BCS title game, it could get first choice of any BCS-eligible team.
The conferences and ABC are expected to sign at least a four-year contract to continue the BCS system that started in 1998. A new deal would carry the BCS out through at least the 2009 season.
Commissioners were under pressure this week to finalize a new postseason model. ABC and the Rose Bowl begin negotiations on a new contract beginning Friday.
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