Conferences net record $170M haul from 2010-11 BCS

[madinmaryland]

:wow:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- College football conferences will get a record take of about $170 million from this year's Bowl Championship Series games, including a new high of $24.7 million for the five conferences that don't get automatic bids to the BCS bowls.

The figures were obtained by The Associated Press ahead of their official release later Tuesday by the BCS.

BCS officials say the higher figures were fueled by the new television contract with ESPN. In addition, the five conferences that don't get automatic bids were helped by the automatic berth earned by Texas Christian University. Those conferences got slightly more than last year's $24 million.

The distribution of money has been a main point of contention for congressional critics of the BCS, who argue that it shows the system is unfair. In the last congressional session, Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, pushed legislation aimed at forcing the BCS to switch to a playoff system rather than the ratings system it uses to set the games that determine the college championship.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/football/ncaa/01/25/bcs-record-revenue.ap/index.html#ixzz1C9olyhI1