BCS mulls moving games from Fox to ESPN
Under proposal from network, even championship game would be on cable
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The BCS is considering a proposal from ESPN that would see all BCS bowl games, including the championship game, wind up on ESPN, sources familiar with the negotiations are saying.
If the BCS ultimately accepts the bid, it would mark the first time all games in a major championship were not available on an over-the-air broadcast network. If the BCS opts to move to ESPN, it would continue a trend that has seen other leagues migrate playoff series exclusively from broadcast to cable. Major League Baseball, the NBA and the NHL all have placed playoff games on cable over the past few years.
If ABC/ESPN ultimately wins the bid and moves even one BCS game to ESPN, it would trigger a clause in its Rose Bowl contract that would allow it to immediately take the annual game in Pasadena from its home of 21 years on ABC to the cable channel.
Sources say Fox still has another five days to accept the BCS' proposal, which is seeking about a 50 percent annual increase over the current deal's $82.5 million annual fee. The BCS is looking for a four-year, $500 million deal, which would put the average annual payout at around $125 million.
Fox has proposed a 25 percent increase, which would average a little more than $102 million per year. Though Fox still has several days to match, insiders say it is not likely to increase its bid by enough.
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