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Congressional Members Call For Probe Of Bowl Championship Series

Questions Surface About Violation Of Antitrust Law

Posted: 4:45 pm EST December 30, 2008Updated: 4:45 pm EST December 30, 2008

On the eve of college football's biggest games, some members of the U.S. House of Representatives are asking for a Justice Department investigation of the Bowl Championship Series.


LINK: Official Letter - BCS Investigation

Congressional leaders from several states, including Georgia Republican Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, question whether the BCS violates the federal Sherman Antitrust Act, a law passed in 1890. In a formal House resolution and in a letter to President-elect Barack Obama, the Congressional members said the BCS unfairly prohibits many small colleges from competing for a championship berth. Rep. Neil Abercrombie, a Democrat from Hawaii, said, "The anti-competitive effects of the BCS far outweigh its procompetitive benefits. The most obvious anti-competitive effect is the vast difference in revenue generated in the postseason between the BCS and non-BCS schools."

Non-BCS schools include members of Conference USA, the Mid-American Conference, the Mountain West Conference, the Sun Belt Conference and the Western Athletic Conference.

The president-elect's office has not specified what actions Obama might take. But the president-elect recently told 60 Minutes he supports a college football playoff system.

Gina Talamona, spokeswoman for the United States Department of Justice, said the attorney general has not yet been asked to order a formal review of the Bowl Championship Series. Talamona said the Justice Department's Antitrust Division has previously investigated sports-related issues.


VIDEO: Congresional Scholar Tom Firey Comments on Possible BCS Probe

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