This Seems Like Some Kind of Scam

Fans of college football should be outraged. The Bowl Championship Series and the Rose Bowl have released a plan where fans can purchase the rights to secure a limited number of tickets at face value to the BCS title game on Jan. 4, 2006, in Pasadena. Each team has a specific value. Examples: for USC, the going rate is $100; for UCLA, it's $10. Click here to see your team's value (there is a pop-up menu on that page). The money paid to secure the reservation won't apply to the actual cost of a ticket if your team is selected to play in the title game. The reservation only secures you the right to purchase one of these tickets. If your team is not selected to play in the Rose, then it is our understanding that you lose your reservation money, unless you are able to sell the reservation before it becomes worthless.

In addition, fans will have the chance to secure reservations that apply to all BCS bowls, excluding the Rose. So, for example, if you fear USC might not be selected for the Rose but will secure a bid to another BCS game, you can spend another $80 to include the Fiesta, Orange and Sugar. So for $180, USC fans, you are covered for all the BCS bowls. If they don't make any of the BCS games, you are out the money.

Reservations also are being sold individually for the Fiesta, Orange and Sugar.