BCS Committee reaches Consensus on Playoffs; to start in 2014

[Tridentdawgpound 1,043]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8078786/bcs-commissioners-reach-consensus-four-team-college-football-playoff

 

CHICAGO -- The BCS commissioners and Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick on Wednesday endorsed a seeded four-team playoff model for college football that would begin for the 2014 season.

 

The commissioners' consensus must be approved by the BCS presidential oversight committee, which meets June 26 in Washington, D.C. If approved, the four-team playoff would replace the current BCS system, which has been in place since 1998.

 

Sources told ESPN.com that under the recommended model, four participating teams would be selected by a committee, which would consider certain criteria such as conference championships and strength of schedule.

 

The two national semifinal games would be played within the existing BCS bowl games (Fiesta, Orange, Rose and Sugar) on a rotating basis, with the host sites being predetermined before each season. The national championship game would be offered to the highest bidding city.

 

"We're very unified," Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany said. "There are issues that have yet to be finalized. There's always devil in the detail, from the model to the selection process, but clearly we've made a lot of progress."

 

“

We're very unified. There are issues that have yet to be finalized. There's always devil in the detail, from the model to the selection process, but clearly we've made a lot of progress.

”

-- Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany

Pac 12 commissioner Larry Scott said the recommendation was the product of a lot of negotiating and cooperation among the commissioners.

 

"I'm sure it won't satisfy everyone," Scott said. "Until you have an eight-team or 16-team seeded playoff, there will be folks out there that aren't completely satisfied. We get that. But we're trying to balance other important parties, like the value of the regular season, the bowls, the academic calendar."

 

The BCS commissioners have met five times since the national title game in New Orleans, including a four-hour session Wednesday. SEC commissioner Mike Slive, who likened the process to a marathon, said, "My hope is we've done 26 [miles]. My hope is we have .2 to go."

 

The presidential oversight committee, which includes a representative from each of the FBS conferences and Notre Dame, still is expected to discuss multiple models next week, including a plus-one format proposed by presidents from the Big Ten and Pac 12.

 

"The fact that there will be a full and complete discussion is totally appropriate," Slive said. "Obviously, we have put forth a consensus four-team playoff model, and we wouldn't do that if we didn't feel it was appropriate."

 

“

Until you have an eight-team or 16-team seeded playoff, there will be folks out there that aren't completely satisfied. We get that. But we're trying to balance other important parties, like the value of the regular season, the bowls, the academic calendar.

”

-- Pac 12 commissioner Larry Scott

The presidents' committee could either approve the recommended four-team model or direct the commissioners to work out its remaining details.

 

"I'm sure all of the I's and T's won't be crossed and dotted," Scott said. "The presidents just have to decide whether they want to go in this particular direction that we're coming out with. Every other detail, I feel comfortable can be worked out."

 

ACC commissioner John Swofford said the commissioners have agreed on the principles of how the increased TV revenue will be distributed among the participating conferences. Industry sources have indicated a four-team playoff might be worth as much as $400 million to $500 million annually.

 

"We've agreed to the principles," Swofford said. "It's hard to move past the principles if you don't know what the market value is. Everyone agrees that financially this is going to be good for everyone in the room."

 

[BigBen07 285]

Just beat me to it, Trident.

 

It's about time. It only took about 14 years and multiple controversies.

[Vin+ 3,121]

People will still bitch, so, in the end, everything's the same as it was.

Edited June 21, 2012 by Vin

[KeVo 176]

So it shall begin!

[Milla4Prez63 678]

It is a start, but still not going to stop people from bitching. Just now we'll get fans of the 5th, 6th and 7th ranked team bitching instead of the 3rd and 4th ranked teams. I think a 16 team playoff would be more appropriate, but this is better than what they did.

[AL_Royalty 489]

Who cares if people bitch? In the winter, people bitch because it's too cold and can't wait for summer. In the summer, people bitch because it's too hot and can't wait for the fall. On perfect mid 70s days with a slight breeze, people bitch because it's too bright. Let them eat cake.

 

Any playoff is better than what we have. Is a four team playoff perfect? Nope. As previously stated, fans of the 4-7 teams will be all, "THERE'S STILL AN SEC BIAS!!!" If it was an eight team playoff, fans of the power conferences would wine about Boise State not being good enough to hold their favorite team's jock and undeservedly getting a chance to play spoiler with no real chance of winning it all.

 

I LOVE the 4 game playoff for one reason: It's a playoff. Anything can happen, and yes, people will bitch, but chances are they will be the same people who bitched about the consensus national championship, then bitched about the BCS. It is what it is, but at least it's not what it was.

[housemd 338]

This is a very good thing..I don't care if people are going to bitch about it,haters will always hate..

[Bucman 891]

This is great news, I'll enjoy watching teams like Boise St and TCU get crushed my SEC teams.

[SteVo+ 3,702]

People will bitch about championships every year in every sport for one reason or another. The previous set-up of the BCS was an absolute joke to college football, not fair to the teams and not fair to the fans.

 

This is a step in the right direction.

[rzb+ 367]

Let's get away from this "selection committee" bullshit. Now instead of the #3 team getting snubbed, it's #5. What'd we solve? This did nothing except put the word playoffs in D1 college football. Not only that but now we have to wait 13 years to figure out if it was the right move? That worked great for the system we have now, didn't it? The BCS fails again.

 

Until it expands so every conference is represented by their champion, I'm not satisfied.