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News Nuggets, 10.28.04
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

CBS, Fox poised to challenge ABC for BCS rights

NEW YORK — The Bowl Championship Series could have a new television home for the 2006 season.

ABC has had the broadcast rights to the BCS since 1998, when the imperfect system for crowning a so-called college football champion was formed by the Big East, Big 12, Big Ten, Southeastern Conference, Atlantic Coast Conference and Pac-10.

The current contract runs out after the 2005 season.

ABC and the BCS have been negotiating a new contract since September, but have been unable to a get deal done. When the exclusive negotiation period ends next week, BCS officials will open up the bidding to other networks.

``We're looking at quite a number of alternatives next week, and there's a good level of interest,'' Kevin O'Malley, television and marketing consultant to the BCS, said Wednesday.

Talks between the BCS and ABC are still alive, though.

``They still want to be very much in the mix,'' O'Malley said. ``We want to have them in the mix.''

BCS coordinator and Big 12 commissioner Kevin Weiberg said, ``All of our options remain open to us, including reaching an agreement with ABC.''

O'Malley and Weiberg declined to identify the other networks interested in acquiring the rights.

CBS and Fox would be logical choices. CBS already has a deal with the Southeastern Conference, and FOX carries Big 12 and Pac-10 games on its FoxSports Net subsidiaries.

CBS spokeswoman Leslie Anne Wade declined comment on the network's possible interest in the BCS.

Fox Sports chairman David Hill said the network planned to meet with the BCS.

``We're always interested in discussing big-event, high-profile sports programming that makes economic sense to us,'' he said.

ABC has been paying about $25 million a year for the rights to the Fiesta, Orange and Sugar bowls.

O'Malley said money was not the sole issue keeping the two sides apart.

``On quite a number of fronts, the BCS has had some disagreements with ABC on the way they market the series and with the management and promotion of the series,'' O'Malley said.

Neither O'Malley nor ABC officials would give specifics of ABC's latest proposal.

``We're talking with the BCS,'' ABC spokesman Mark Mandel said. ``We think we have made a very good proposal.''

The BCS is looking for a four-year deal that would include the Fiesta, Sugar and Orange bowls, and a national championship game. BCS officials expanded the series to five games earlier this year, starting in the 2006 season. The Rose Bowl also is part of the BCS, but negotiates its own TV deal.

The Rose Bowl has already signed a new deal with ABC that will keep it on the network until 2014.

O'Malley said the Rose Bowl's deal will not keep the BCS from changing networks.

``It isn't really truly that big a hurdle,'' he said. ``The package the BCS is selling is quite large.''

While there is no deadline for getting a TV deal done, Weiberg said it would be preferable to have a new contract in place before this season's bowls are played.

Injury sidelines prolific Blue Devils newcomer

DURHAM — Duke freshman guard DeMarcus Nelson will miss 2-to-4 weeks of practice after having surgery Tuesday to repair a ruptured ligament in his right thumb.

Nelson injured his thumb Saturday during Duke's annual Blue-White Scrimmage.

``Injuries are part of the game and if there is a bright side, it is that it happened early in the season and the expected recovery time is relatively short,'' Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said Tuesday. ``We have the best medical personnel working with DeMarcus and we're very optimistic about a quick return.''

Nelson holds the California state high school record with 3,462 career points and ranks in the state's top 10 in career rebounds and assists. He averaged 30.3 points, 10.9 rebounds and 5.8 assists as a high school senior.

News Nuggets are compiled periodically from staff, ECU, Conference USA and its member schools, and from Associated Press and other reports. Copyright 2004 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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