The Big Ten and the Pac-10 can reexamine their Rose Bowl
arrangement following the 2000 season, but while Pac-10
Commissioner Thomas Hansen expected the conference to renew its
ties with the bowl, Big Ten spokesperson Mark Rudner refused to
speculate on what might happen. The conferences, which have a
contract with ABC to meet in the Rose Bowl for the next six
seasons, have chosen to stay out of the bowl coalition and the
newly formed bowl alliance, which begins next season. Rudner:
"We're firmly committed to the Rose Bowl, it's been ingrained in
our collective souls for so long. But we always think ahead and
try to think what's in everybody's best interest" (DETROIT FREE
PRESS, 6/14).
BIG 12 APPROVES FOOTBALL TITLE GAME: Presidents of the
Big 12 Conference voted 11-1 earlier this week to conduct a
league championship football game. Big 12 Commissioner
Steve Hatchell has been directed to continue assembling bids
from interested cities. Hatchell said he expects the bids
by June 30 and that the final decision could come in mid-
July. Also approved this week was the league's revenue-
sharing proposal. A "key part" of the plan allows Big 12
schools to keep their own gate receipts (Wendell Barnhouse,
FORT WORTH STAR TELEGRAM, 6/14).
