Fox won't match ESPN offer on BCS games
Starting in 2011, all Bowl Championship Series events will air under the Walt Disney Co. broadcasting umbrella.
Fox Sports announced today it will not match an offer by ESPN to televise Bowl Championship Series games from 2011 to 2014.
ESPN reportedly has offered $125 million a year to televise the Orange, Fiesta and Sugar bowls and the BCS national championship game.
The Rose Bowl and ABC have a separate contract that runs through the 2014 game. Now, beginning in 2011, all BCS bowl games will be under the Walt Disney Co. broadcasting umbrella.
On whether this means the Rose Bowl would move to cable, Mitch Dorger, Rose Bowl chief executive, said: "Right now no discussions have taken place to move the Rose Bowl to cable. However, we would not be surprised if we are approached to discuss this in the future."
Sports Business Daily reported last week that Fox, which had an exclusive negotiating window with the BCS, had offered $102 million a year to keep the BCS package.
"Even with today's vast economic uncertainties, Fox Sports made a very competitive bid to keep broadcasting BCS games free to every home in America, one that included a substantial rights fee increase, and certainly as much as any over-the-air network could responsibly risk," Fox announced in a released statement. "Unfortunately, the University presidents and BCS commissioners were not satisfied and they've decided to take their jewel events to pay television. We wish everyone well."
Fox will continue to broadcast BCS games through the 2010 season.
Next year, the Rose Bowl hosts the national title game, which will be televised on ABC.
Dufresne is a Times staff writer.
chris.dufresne@latimes.com
