ESPN trying to lock up the BCS?
Fox Sports has decided to pull its bid on the next round of television rights for the Bowl Championship Series college football games.
Fox’s four-year deal with the BCS ends after the 2009 season. The Bowl Championship Series says it is close to a deal with ESPN.
“Currently, over 98 million homes receive ESPN,” BCS coordinator John Swofford said in a statement. “With the ever-changing technology and as we look toward January 2011, when the first games in this package will be played, we know that the number of households that receive ESPN will only continue to grow.”
SportsBusiness Daily reported that, according to sources, ESPN bid $125 million per year over four years to get the games, while Fox’s top bid was $100 million per year.