Gateway Offers Big Bucks for LSU and USC to play

[Blackman]

Don't think it was posted yet - never going to happen but I was wondering if someone would make such an offer to them.


Offers $30 Million in Scholarships

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Frustrated college football fans may get
to see the game they've been clamoring for -- if the University of Southern
California, Louisiana State University and the NCAA agree to make it happen.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020930/LAM050LOGO )
Gateway today has offered $10 million in scholarships each to LSU, the BCS
national champion, and USC, ranked #1 by the Associated Press, to settle the
true national champion debate where it matters most -- on the gridiron.
The two universities and the NCAA have until Monday, Jan. 12 at noon EST
to accept or decline the technology company's offer. If they participate,
both schools would receive $10 million in scholarships for disadvantaged
students. The winner would receive an additional $10 million in scholarships
from Gateway, plus $1 million in Gateway technology products for use in
academic and athletic programs.
"In most fans' minds, they can't see why this game can't happen -- it
flies in the face of common sense," said Ted Waitt, Gateway chairman and CEO.
"As the nation's top seller of plasma TVs, we're in touch with what sports
fans want -- and they simply want to see the game played. We urge the NCAA to
give the millions of fans and the thousands of students who would benefit one
good reason why this game can't happen."
Waitt today sent registered letters with Gateway's offer to LSU Chancellor
Mark Emmert, USC President Steven Sample and NCAA President Dr. Myles Brand.
The offer stipulates that Gateway would own the broadcast rights to the game
should it be played, and that it would intend to broadcast it in high
definition and stream the game live on the Internet.

courtesy of: http://www.gateway.com/about/news_info/press_release.shtml

 

[MadJack]

nice try anyway

nice try anyway

NCAA says no to computer company CEO's title game proposal
Jan. 8, 2004
SportsLine.com wire reports

SAN DIEGO -- Unhappy with college football's split national championship, the head of a computer company thought he could entice Southern California and LSU to play each other later this month by offering $30 million in scholarship money.

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The NCAA quickly hit the "delete" button, saying there was no way such a game could be played.

Ted Waitt, chairman and CEO of Gateway Inc., which is based in the San Diego suburb of Poway, offered each school $10 million in scholarships for disadvantaged students if they'd play each other the weekend of Jan. 24-25. The winner would have gotten an additional $10 million in scholarships and $1 million in Gateway products.

"Everybody wants to see it happen," Waitt said. "It'd be fun. But everybody is afraid of the NCAA. We just want to know one good reason why this can't happen."

Waitt made his proposal in letters faxed Thursday to LSU chancellor Mark Emmert, USC president Steven Sample and NCAA president Myles Brand.

"It's just not as simple or easy as doing that," said Wally Renfro, the senior adviser to Brand. "Decisions about postseason football are made by the membership of the association. Those two institutions would not be able to make that decision in any event.

"Right now, by the bylaws, it couldn't happen."

And the NCAA wouldn't jump even with $30 million in scholarships up for grabs?

"No," Renfro said.

Besides numerous logistical problems, games aren't allowed past last Sunday, which was the date of the Sugar Bowl.

USC was No. 1 in both the AP media poll and the coaches' poll at the end of the regular season, but slipped behind No. 2 LSU and No. 3 Oklahoma in the computers and the final BCS standings because of a weaker strength of schedule.

LSU won the BCS national championship by beating Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl while USC won the Associated Press title by beating Michigan in the Rose Bowl.