The NCAA's football oversight committee has "determined the number of bowl tie-ins for each FBS conference" by using bowl eligibility data from the "past four seasons," according to Adam Rittenberg of ESPN.com. The SEC and Pac-12 are among the leagues "adding to their tie-in agreements for the next cycle," which will begin after the '20 regular season and goes through the '25-26 bowl season. The SEC and ACC will have the "most agreements with 11 each, followed by the Big Ten (9), Pac-12 (8), Big 12 (7), American Athletic Conference (7) and Conference USA (7)." The Mountain West and Mid-American Conference each will have "six contracted bowl agreements, while the Sun Belt will have five." The total number of "approved tie-ins is 79, but because the New Year's Six bowls include tie-in spots for only six of 12 participants," there are "six other slots to be filled, which opens up three more games for eligible teams." This would "increase the total number of bowls from 40 to 43." Sources said that possible bowl additions "include a game in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and at Wrigley Field in Chicago." It is also "possible some bowls may shut down, reducing the overall number" (ESPN.com, 6/13).
WINDY CITY: In Chicago, Teddy Greenstein cites sources as saying that the Cubs have made "significant progress toward the creation of a college football bowl game at Wrigley Field and are close to nailing down a title sponsor and media partner." The team hopes to have the process "wrapped up by the end of June for an annual game that would begin" in the '20 postseason. The Cubs "want one of the higher-rated Big Ten teams rather than, say, the conference’s sixth- or seventh-place team." As far as the annual opponent, there is at least a 95% chance the ACC "will sign on." The Wrigley game would "likely replace the San Francisco Bowl that is played at Levi’s Stadium" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 6/14).
