AT&T COTTON BOWL CLASSIC EXTENDS BIG 12 PARTNERSHIP THROUGH 2014

The AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic announced today that a new four-year agreement has been reached to extend its partnership with the Big 12 Conference through January 2014.

The extension ensures that the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic will continue to receive the top selection of bowl eligible teams from the Big 12 after the Bowl Championship Series.

“Renewing the contracts with our two conference partners has been our game’s top priority,” said Kathy Saunders, Chairman of the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association. “We are still working out details with the Southeastern Conference, and we’re optimistic we can finalize those negotiations in the coming weeks.

“There’s no doubt that a game featuring the Big 12 and the SEC is the optimal matchup for our community and the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic,” Saunders said. “This also holds true for our title sponsor, AT&T, and our television network, FOX Sports. Fortunately, with the guidance of Commissioner Dan Beebe of the Big 12, we will continue to have one of the premier matchups among all post-season bowls.”

By the end of the new contract cycle, the bowl’s projected payout will approach $4 million per team, an increase of a half million dollars over previous years. The AT&T Cotton Bowl has consistently ranked at the top in team payouts among all post-season bowl games after the BCS.

The agreement with the Big 12 follows this summer’s renewal of the game’s contract with FOX Sports that will keep the AT&T Cotton Bowl a part the network’s lineup through 2014. In 2011, the Classic will mark its 75^th anniversary, and in celebration, the AT&T Cotton Bowl and FOX will move the Classic to Friday, January 7^th and kickoff in prime time for the first time in the game’s history. The 2011 AT&T Cotton Bowl will be the only prime time bowl broadcast on network television.

“We couldn’t be more excited to play the 75^th edition of the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic in prime time knowing we will continue to have the kind of quality teams our fans have come to expect,” said Rick Baker, President of the Cotton Bowl Athletic Association. “The Big 12 and the SEC have and will continue to give us the best opportunity to succeed and allow us to be a showcase for all of North Texas.”

The upcoming 2010 Classic on Saturday, January 2^nd, will mark the final year of the current four-year cycle with the Big 12 and SEC. The 74^th AT&T Cotton Bowl will be a historic affair as the Classic moves to the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. The game will kick off at 1 p.m. on FOX.