Fiesta Bowl Fined $1 Million, But Stays in BCS (illegal campaign contributions, lavish spending)

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By FREDERIC J. FROMMER

WASHINGTON (AP) - At the cost of a $1 million fine, the Fiesta Bowl will keep its place in the Bowl Championship Series.

The BCS presidential oversight committee imposed the penalty Wednesday in the wake of a scandal at the Arizona-based game that included apparently illegal campaign contributions from staff and lavish spending by the former CEO on parties and a night at a strip club.

Under the ruling, the Fiesta Bowl can remain part of the system for deciding college football's national champion, though in addition to the fine it also must meet certain BCS demands such as strengthening the Fiesta Bowl's board and imposing greater supervision over bowl executives.

"The message is they had cleaned house and addressed their problems, but our group doesn't believe they went far enough," Bill Hancock, executive director of the BCS, said in a telephone interview. He added that the $1 million fine was meant to reflect the "serious nature of the matter."

Read more: http://sports.excite.com/news/05112011/v1507.html

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Since this had illegal campaign contributions to Republicans I posted it in LBN.