RENO, Nev. — Western Athletic Conference football teams will enjoy more television exposure and better access to the postseason under a new ESPN contract and changes in the Bowl Championship Series, the WAC's commissioner said Thursday.
Commissioner Karl Benson also acknowledged that the U.S. Justice Department has contacted the WAC as part of a preliminary investigation into ESPN's business practices but wouldn't say what the investigators wanted.
"All I can say is that we have been contacted by the Department of Justice and would expect if asked we would have to cooperate in the investigation," he said.
The new six-year ESPN contract is worth significantly more money than the WAC's previous deal and will put WAC teams on TV a minimum of six times this year and eight times per season after that, Commissioner Karl Benson said.
"That's nearly double the previous arrangement," he told reporters at the league's annual media day. He declined to specify the terms, saying only that the money is a "significant percentage increase."
"We think we've been a valuable property to ESPN. Our ratings have indicated we can compete from a ratings standpoint with other conferences," Benson said.
He predicted the WAC would get more TV games than the eight-game minimum later in the contract good through the 2009-10 season.
"As we continue to establish ourselves as good TV teams, we think that will go into double digits," he said.