Hi Gary,

Congratulations on another successful bowl game.

With this coming season the last for the current bowl cycle, are there plans to move up the Pac-12 Bowl ladder once the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl moves to its new home in Santa Clara?  Also, are you looking at another BCS conference coming here to compete with the Pac-12, specifically the Big Ten with its large alumni bases within the state of California?

Thank you for your time,

John K.

REPLY:

John,

Thanks very much for your note. I've just returned from a week on the road--in Los Angeles, Charlotte and Phoenix--at meetings of the Football Bowl Association (FBA), Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and Pac-12. The main topic of discussion at all three gatherings was how conference affiliations for the next bowl cycle beginning in 2014 might shake out. 

With respect to our goals moving forward, we plan to stay with the Pac-12 as our "anchor" conference and are optimistic that we can improve our position in the selection order. On the other side of the equation, we are presently in discussions with the Big Ten, Big 12, and ACC. The Big Ten is very attractive to us because of the great "brands" in the conference and, as you noted, the large alumni bases many Big Ten schools have in Northern California. We've had a lot of success in the past with the ACC; in fact, all four of our sellout games featured ACC teams. And the Big 12 is attractive to us because of both quality and geography. 

The fact that so many conferences are interested in coming here is a testament not only to our successful track record over the past 11 years, but also the widespread excitement about our upcoming move to the new stadium in Santa Clara.

In all likelihood, the next bowl agreements will be for six years, rather than the customary four we have done in the past. We may sign an agreement with one of the three target conferences for all six years, or we may consider rotating two conferences opposite the Pac-12. 

There are lots of moving parts, but they are starting to come together. Negotiations are now underway, and I anticipate that lineups may be determined within the next 30-60 days.

Best,

gc