Word is out that the Alamo Bowl has decided to offer it’s second tie-in to the Pac-10 (the first being the Big 12) for a $3 million payout. That number would effectively trump the Holiday Bowl’s current $2.3 million payout and thereby receive the 2nd selection of Pac-10 teams after the Rose Bowl.

Don’t fret for the Big Ten though. The Big Ten has long been negotiating with the Gator Bowl to replace the Alamo Bowl after their current bowl lineup expires, which may have helped spark this new development by the Alamo Bowl. Instead of meeting the #4 or #5 Big 12 team under current Alamo Bowl arrangements, the Big Ten will instead be matched up with the #3 ACC selection in the Gator Bowl. Although I’m sure anyone who has been to the Alamo Bowl or San Antonio in general will sorely miss the great atmosphere of the city itself, fans of the Big Ten should welcome the change. In the 16 seasons of Big Ten tie-ins, 8 different conference teams have already ventured out to the Texas heat to take on the Big 12. Penn State has been there as recently as 2007.

Although details and confirmation of the new Gator Bowl tie-in has not been announced, payout at the Gator Bowl has been $2.5 million since 2006, a number that will most definitely increase as new contracts are signed following the expiration of the current lineups this year. Whether or not it will match the Alamo Bowl’s $3 million remains to be seen, but the Big Ten is not like the Pac 10.

One of the major reasons this Big Ten/Gator deal has not been inked per BHGP is

The big hang-up is television; the Cap One, which is played at the same time as the Gator, has a clause in its contract requiring its second half be the only Big Ten game on television at that time.  That means someone has to move and, given the relatively early January 1 start time of the Rose Bowl, there are not many open time slots before the nation shifts its gaze to Pasadena.

At $3 million, the Alamo Bowl was able to surpass all of the current Pac-10 bowl tie-ins and snatch the 2nd spot away. With that same $3 million, the Alamo Bowl would not even come close to the $4.25 million payout that currently holds the Big Ten’s second spot. In fact it won’t even beat the Outback Bowl, who currently holds the 3rd Big Ten selection in its bowl lineup has a payout of $3.1 million as of 2006, a number that will also rise after new contracts are signed this year.

It is not hard to see why the Alamo Bowl decided (or will decide) to take it’s business elsewhere. Despite raising its payout a whopping $800,000 from $2.2 million to $3 million, the Alamo bowl would still gain nothing by remaining fourth in the Big Ten’s bowl lineup (could possibly be worse after new contracts are negotiated). But with the Pac-10 they are able to become their best non-BCS bowl similar to what we currently have with the Capital One, except they would not have to spend $4.25 million for it.

Year	Big Ten Team	Attendance	Rating
2008	Northwestern	55,986	4.6
2007	Penn State	66,166	2.7*
2006	Iowa	65,875	6.0**
2005	Michigan	62,016	5.4
2004	Ohio State	65,265	4.3

* Penn State’s 2007 Alamo Bowl appearance set the record for the highest Alamodome attendance as well as Alamo Bowl attendance, but its low television rating can be attributed to the simultaneous Patriots-Giants regular season ending game.
** Iowa’s 2008 Alamo Bowl appearance remains the most watched bowl game in ESPN history.

You can’t say the Big Ten has not held up to their side of the bargain. 3 matchups, all including Big Ten squads remain on ESPN’s Top 10 highest rated bowl games including the #1 most watched bowl game in ESPN history. In the past 5 years, 3 games (2007/2006/2004) have been outright sellouts with the other two surpassing most other bowl game attendance figures.

The bright side is that the new bowl line up with the Gator Bowl will allow for attractive matchups between the more geographically friendly Big Ten of the Midwest and the ACC of the eastern seaboard. Imagine Michigan/Miami, Penn State/Florida State and Ohio State/Virginia Tech. Plus, the Big Ten is still expected to maintain it’s presence in the recruit-rich Texas area with many dubbing the Texas Bowl as its next bowl partner. I would much prefer the Cotton Bowl and its new mega stadium myself, but the possibility of the Texas Bowl moving to the brand new stadium isn’t too far fetched either.

Who knows, the Alamo Bowl’s loss can be our gain.

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