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The 276-page report, commissioned by a special Bowl committee last October, details a culture of excessive spending on bowl employees, politicians and business associates despite rules barring it from using its money to benefit individuals; a system of campaign contributions that could run afoul of state and federal campaign laws; and accounts of efforts by bowl staffers to mislead government investigators.

The Fiesta Bowl is a member of the lucrative Bowl Championship Series, which generates tens of millions of dollars in annual tourist revenue for greater Phoenix. It hosts one of the country's top four college football bowl games each January, and every four years hosts the national championship game.

The agreement that gives the Fiesta Bowl its spot in the system is renewable every three years. While no immediate effect on that contract is likely, negotiations on a new contract were expected to begin next year and the negative fallout from the report's findings will give rivals material to use against the Fiesta Bowl in a bid to replace it.

Skjellyfetti wrote:I find it pretty funny that an internal report on excessive/irresponsible spending cost $1,000,000 to produce.

I think we need to conduct a study on the study. Probably see the same kind of thing... $1,000 night at strip club for study participants, etc.

CatMom wrote:Is it like any of this info is new or eye-opening? It happens at every damn Bowl game, no matter the "level"

SDHornet wrote:

CatMom wrote:Is it like any of this info is new or eye-opening? It happens at every damn Bowl game, no matter the "level"

This. Bowls are just tax exempt parties for their organizers & owners.

TwinTownBisonFan wrote:

SDHornet wrote: This. Bowls are just tax exempt parties for their organizers & owners.

Word.

read "Death to the BCS" - lot of info in there worth reading about the excesses

CatMom wrote:

TwinTownBisonFan wrote:
Word.

read "Death to the BCS" - lot of info in there worth reading about the excesses

Bought, read and digested. Husband is reading it a second time

The Bowl Championship Series is so troubled by the graft exposed in Tuesday’s Fiesta Bowl corruption report that it appointed a special “task force.” Among the members is an athletics director who accepted a free Caribbean cruise from the Orange Bowl just last summer.

The Fiesta Bowl will remain in the prestigious Bowl Championship Series, but it will be fined $1 million for financial improprieties and for allowing employees to make illegal campaign contributions, a special BCS committee has decided.

"I think the message is, they have cleaned house and addressed their problems. We are satisfied with the reforms they have taken, and they have focused on improving the management of the bowl," BCS Executive Director Bill Hancock told The Arizona Republic today.

Hancock said the bowl would have to adhere to a number of other sanctions including dismissing any and all board members who participated or had knowledge of wrongdoing at the bowl. The BCS also is requiring the bowl to find a new outside auditor or find a new supervisory partner at the existing audit firm, which is PricewaterhouseCoopers.

dbackjon wrote:I figured they wouldn't pull the plug - that would lead to lawsuits, and show that the Fiesta Bowl is only doing what the other bowls do - they just got caught.