Bowl Games • The BIG EAST has always assured itself of prestigious bowl invitations. The league champion will attend the Tostitos Fiesta, FedEx Orange or Nokia Sugar Bowl as part of its membership in the Bowl Championship Series. The Hokies have represented the league in two of the aforementioned bowls — the Nokia Sugar Bowl (twice) and the FedEx Orange Bowl. • The BIG EAST and the Toyota Gator Bowl have a multi- year pact, which allows the Gator Bowl to select a BIG EAST bowl-eligible team after the league's representative in the Bowl Championship Series has been determined. The BIG EAST has sent a team to the Gator Bowl for seven of the past eight seasons. Since joining the league, Tech has represented the BIG EAST in four Gator Bowls. • The Insight Bowl is entering its fifth year as a partner with the BIG EAST. The Phoenix, Ariz.-based game will select a third league team. • The conference is in the second year of an agreement with the Continental Tire Bowl. The agreement allows the Charlotte, N.C.-based bowl to choose a fourth league squad. A representative from the BIG EAST conference A Shot at the National Title will meet a team from the Atlantic Coast Conference. • The BIG EAST has been a charter member in each of the major bowl agreements, designed to help determine a national champion. • The BIG EAST is in its second season of a deal to send It began with the Bowl Coalition in 1992 followed by The Bowl a team to the Diamond Walnut San Francisco Bowl, Alliance in 1995. The Bowl Championship Series began in 1998 played at Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco. A BIG EAST and will continue this season. team will be pitted against a squad from the Mountain West Conference. Tech won the inaugural bowl, beating • The Hokies have been to a bowl every year since the BIG EAST Air Force 20-13 on New Year’s Eve of 2002. started round-robin play. A league team has played for a claim of the national championship eight times, including Virginia Tech • Tech holds the longest active bowl string in the BIG following the 1999 season and Miami, which won the national title EAST. The Hokies have been to 10 straight bowls. two years ago and was the runner-up last season. Exposure • The league established its own regional television package in 1991 before a game was played. The BIG EAST Television Network immediately was the largest regional college football network in the country. • Two years ago, the BIG EAST began new multi-year contracts with ABC and ESPN. Prior to the current deal, the BIG EAST enjoyed a five-year deal with CBS and ESPN. • For the eighth straight season, ESPN Regional Television of Charlotte, N.C., will own telecasting rights for all telecasts not assigned to ABC or ESPN. ERT will produce and distribute additional games for a Game of the Week syndication, local markets and pay-per-view. • Once again this season, BIG EAST Conference football will be viewed in over 33 cities, including the major television markets of New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Washington, D.C., Tampa, Miami, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Indianapolis. THE BIG EAST has been a charter member of the Gator Bowl to select a BIG each of the major bowl EAST bowl-eligible team after agreements with conferences, the league’s representative in beginning with The Bowl the Bowl Championship Series Coalition in 1992 followed by has been determined. The Bowl Alliance in ’95. The The Insight Bowl, which is Bowl Championship Series held in Phoenix, Ariz., is in its began in ’98 and continued sixth year as a partner with this season. the BIG EAST. The Extensive television Continental Tire Bowl in exposure and the BIG EAST Charlotte, N.C., and the have been synonymous terms. Diamond Walnut San For football, the league Francisco Bowl begin their established its own regional second year with the BIG television package in 1991 EAST in 2003. before it had played a game. BIG EAST teams have The BIG EAST Television enjoyed plenty of success in The Hokies celebrate their 1999 BIG EAST championship. Network immediately was the recent years. League squads largest regional college have played in 19 bowl games football network in the country. on or after New Year’s Day. In the first 12 seasons of its The BIG EAST is proud of The BIG EAST is in the Virginia Tech is on a 10-year existence, the BIG EAST has its football student-athletes for third year of broadcast deals bowl streak, the longest active been a frequent contender for their academic achievements. with ABC and ESPN that run string in the conference. In the national championship. Last year, three conference through the 2007 season. addition to the 2001 national Eight times a league squad has players were named to ABC telecasts five games per championship, Miami captured been in a bowl game, playing Verizon/CoSIDA Academic All- year. ESPN and ESPN2 will national titles in 1983, ’87, ’89 for a claim to the national America First Team. The three carry at least 10 games each and ’91. The Hurricanes crown. Last January, the Miami award winners were: defensive season. Both agreements will played on New Year’s Day Hurricanes appeared in their lineman Matt Walters and mean that ABC or ESPN will every year from ’84 to ’95 second straight Bowl linebacker Jonathan Vilma of telecast a BIG EAST game before returning to that Championship Series title Miami along with offensive virtually every week of the echelon for the last four game. lineman Vince Crochunis of year. seasons. Syracuse has been What the BIG EAST has Pittsburgh. Rutgers defensive ESPN Regional Television to the postseason in 12 of the been able to achieve more back Nathan Jones was a owns broadcasting rights for last 16 years. West Virginia recently is establishing its second-team selection. All four all telecasts not assigned to has gone to bowl games in reputation as a conference with also excelled on the field with ABC or ESPN. ERT, which seven of the past 10 seasons quality depth. Vilma and Jones garnering All- took over for the BIG EAST and Boston College has gone First, consider that a BIG BIG EAST first-team honors. Network in 1996, produces bowling seven times in the EAST team has competed in Since its inception, the BIG and distributes additional past 11 years, including the the BCS championship game in EAST has been a national games, including a BIG EAST last four in a row. three of the last four years. force, both on and off the field. Game of the Week, through Some of the same Miami captured the national Commissioner Michael syndication, local markets and elements that were in place championship two seasons ago Tranghese is in his second pay-per-view. when The BIG EAST with a win over Nebraska in the year as coordinator of the The BIG EAST has always Conference was born in 1979 Rose Bowl and Virginia Tech BCS. He has spearheaded the aligned itself with prestigious are present in BIG EAST battled Florida State in 2000 development of BIG EAST bowl games. The league football. The football members Nokia Sugar Bowl. football since its beginning. champion will go to the are a group of schools that, for Also consider that the BIG The BIG EAST Tostitos Fiesta, FedEx the most part, were traditional EAST placed five of its eight Conference’s entrance into Orange, Nokia Sugar or Rose rivals, but were never a formal teams in bowl games last football was announced on Bowls as part of its league. They are: Boston season. Over the past three February 5, 1991. The league membership in the Bowl College, University of Miami, years, BIG EAST teams have gained instant notice and Championship Series. University of Pittsburgh, compiled an 11-4 record in bowl credibility with its level of The BIG EAST and the Rutgers University, Temple games. That mark is the best excellence on the field and its Toyota Gator Bowl in University, Syracuse bowl record of any conference television and bowl Jacksonville, Fla., have a University, Virginia Tech and that competes in the BCS. relationships. The BIG EAST multi-year pact, which allows West Virginia University. 2003 Virginia Tech Football 191 THE BIG EAST BIG EAST Conference Commissioner Commissioners and the integrity while pursuing Square Garden, host of the Collegiate Commissioners excellence at the highest BIG EAST Men’s Basketball Association. possible level. Championship since 1983. The Shortly after being named Tranghese’s career in league and the Garden have Commissioner, Tranghese laid college athletics began at agreed to be partners through the groundwork and put American International College 2011. together The BIG EAST in his hometown of Springfield, Today, Tranghese is an Football Conference. In Mass. He was the sports acknowledged leader in the Mike Tranghese opened the response to the beginning of information director at area of television, including office doors of the BIG EAST significant conference Providence College where he negotiation and technical when the league was born in realignment nationally, he garnered publicity for the production. The BIG EAST has 1979. He has helped guide the coordinated an expansion, immensely successful Friar been a long-time partner with conference to national which included the University of teams of the 1970s under Dave CBS Sports and ESPN and prominence while adhering to Miami becoming a full league Gavitt. As the media focus on has enjoyed multi-year his unwavering commitment to member in 1991-92 and being Eastern college basketball and agreements with both entities create opportunities for BIG a key addition to the unique the growth of sports events on in basketball and football.