WAC to get more bowls

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

BOISE, Idaho — The Pac-10 and Big-12 conferences will finalize commitments to play Western Athletic Conference teams in the Silicon Bowl in San Jose, Calif., and Humanitarian Bowl in Boise this year.

The announcements are expected today at the WAC Football Media Preview here. The Silicon Bowl will have the choice of inviting the Pac-10's No. 6 team; the Humanitarian Bowl will get the Big-12's No. 8 team.

What's more, the WAC has reached a conditional agreement with the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Ala., bringing the possible number of bowl affiliations to four. A WAC team is guaranteed a berth in the first Hawai'i Bowl on Christmas Day.

Last year, five WAC teams met the NCAA eligibility criteria to play in bowls. But with guaranteed berths in only the Silicon and Humanitarian bowls, the WAC was unable to place three of its teams. The WAC even considered matching two members — Boise State and Louisiana Tech — in the Humanitarian Bowl.

"We needed to increase bowl opportunities," WAC commissioner Karl Benson said.

The WAC is a partner in the newly created Hawai'i Bowl, which is owned by ESPN Regional Television. The GMAC Bowl then agreed to match a team from Conference USA against a team from either the WAC or Mid-American Conference. Last year, the MAC was guaranteed a berth in the GMAC Bowl.

"There are discussions about a possible bowl in Fort Worth, Texas, that we would definitely be interested in," Benson said.

But the affiliations come at a steep price. As a financial investor in the Silicon, Humanitarian and Hawai'i bowls, the WAC must make up the difference not covered by gate receipts, television revenue and sponsorships. Last year, the WAC paid out about $1 million for revenue shortfalls.

"It's an investment our schools have agreed to put forward," Benson said. "That's all I can say."

Although the Hawai'i Bowl expects to turn a profit, Benson said, "if the University of Hawai'i is not in that game and attendance is down, the WAC is heavily into that game (financially). We're financial investors in that game. It's a WAC bowl, not a University of Hawai'i bowl. The WAC has a financial liability for the Hawai'i Bowl."