Liberty Bowl News

[transfer2BGSU]

Liberty officials seek ACC tie-in

By Sammy Batten
Staff writer

A partnership with the Atlantic Coast Conference would be beneficial to the AutoZone Liberty Bowl under certain circumstances, the game's executive director said Wednesday.

Those circumstances would involve the bowl securing one of the ACC's top teams to play against the Conference USA champion in Memphis, Tenn..

"You hit it right on the head,'' executive director Steve Ehrhart said when asked if a high spot in the ACC's bowl pecking order was the key to getting a deal done with his game. "The Liberty Bowl has a great history and tradition. It's not a new bowl that's been around just a few years. We certainly value and appreciate the ACC programs and historically we've had them here 11 times before. There are a lot of business, alumni and student relationships with the Memphis area and the ACC. Geographically it makes sense.

"What we're trying to do is have the very best matchup that makes sense for everybody.''

The ACC's current bowl contracts, which run through 2005, could be a roadblock to a Liberty alliance this year.

In addition to a guaranteed berth in the Bowl Championship Series for its champion, the league has automatic bids to the Gator, Peach, Champs Sports, Meineke Car Care and MPC Computers bowls. The Gator picks its ACC team after the BCS is satisfied, followed by the Peach, Champs Sports, Meineke Car Care and MPC selections.

But the Liberty has leverage to move past some of those in the pecking order because of its payout. The game awarded $1.35 million to its 2004 winner, Louisville, which would rank it the fourth-highest among the ACC tie-in bowls behind the BCS ($14 million), Gator ($1.67 million) and Peach ($2.2 million). The Champ Sports payout was $850,000, while the Meineke Car Care and MPC Computers paid $750,000.

"With our long history, our tradition and our payout, we have the proper position, I guess, with whoever we deal with,'' Ehrhart said.

While talks with the ACC have been going on for more than a year, according to Ehrhart, other conferences are also showing interest in the Liberty Bowl.

"We haven't followed up with the Pac-10, but we've had conversations with just about every other league,'' Ehrhart said.

Liberty officials are also seeking input from fans on which league would be the best fit. The bowl's Web site is conducting a poll asking the question, "What conference would you like to have play C-USA in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl? The options include the ACC, Big 12, Mountain West, Southeastern, Western Athletic, Big East or the leave one slot open."

The question has been posted online about two weeks, said Liberty Bowl associate executive director Harold Graeter. "We're just using it for internal purposes. We're not trying to make it a definitive thing. It's just fun and an opportunity to give our fans some input.''

Graeter said the bowl wasn't ready to release results of the poll.

ACC spokesman Brian Morrison would not comment on the Liberty Bowl negotiations, but league commissioner John Swofford has stated his desire to add one or two bowl partnerships to the league's existing lineup.

Ehrhart said Liberty officials are "having a continuing dialogue'' with the ACC and no deadline has been set to reach an agreement.


LIBERTY BOWL FACTS, FIGURES

Current contract: Conference USA champion vs. Western Athletic Conference champion

2005 game: Saturday, Dec. 31, 1 p.m., ESPN

Inaugural game: Dec. 19, 1959 (Penn State def. Alabama 7-0)

2004 payout: $1.35 million per team

2004 result: Louisville def. Boise State 44-40

Largest attendance: 61,497 (Air Force def. Mississippi State 38-15 - Dec. 29, 1991)

N.C. participants: East Carolina (1995, def. Stanford 19-13; 1994, lost to Illinois 30-0; North Carolina (1977, lost to Nebraska 21-17); N.C. State (1973, def. Kansas 31-18; 1967, def. Georgia 14-7; 1963, lost to Mississippi State 16-12)

http://fayettevillenc.com/story.php?Tem ... ry=7016253


LIBERTY BOWL WEB SITE: http://www.libertybowl.org/

[Schadenfreude]

For as much as Conference USA fans seem to like the idea of putting the playing the MAC champion in Memphis -- and they do, many of them, especially those who aren't fans of Marshall -- I'm surprised that wasn't even an option in the poll.

I'm not sure that would be the best situation for us, and I think they would be better off with the ACC. But, still, to suggest the WAC as a choice and not us?

Weird.