Bristol sports media giant ESPN will broadcast four of five of college football’s most significant games this season, The Associated Press reports.
ESPN, a subsidiary of Disney, will air the Bowl Championship Series title game and the Orange, Sugar and Fiesta bowls this season, which will include the top teams from college football this season. The only game in the BCS not on ESPN will be the Rose Bowl.
The Associated Press reports this position could lead to conflict and disdain among the college football fans, coaches and players because – unlike other sports – commentators play a significant role in the ranking of teams and ultimately who gets to play for the sport’s national championship.
With ESPN now having a business investment in the BCS games, the company’s commentators may be tempted to give preference to teams that ESPN believes would draw higher ratings in the BCS contests.
“Any time you have the human element involved, that’s a possibility,” ESPN senior coordinating producer Dave Miller said of voters being swayed by the analysts on TV. “But we don’t have any directive or any goal of trying to influence that we need to get this team in or that team in.”
The BCS games were previously on Fox, which wasn’t likely to be accused of conflict of interest because of its lack of other college football programming. ESPN’s contract gives it the package for the next four years; it already had the Rose Bowl on partner ABC.
“You always have to be careful,” Miller said. “Perception can be reality.”
Consider new analyst Mike Bellotti’s take on his hire: “I think in some ways they’re bringing me on with the intent to even off the perceived East Coast bias,” the former Oregon coach and athletic director said.
But to Bellotti and his new colleagues, the difference between perception and reality is simple.
“The No. 1 thing is your credibility,” he said, and obvious bias would instantly undermine that.
