BCS "Punishes" Fiesta Bowl By Making It Donate $1 Million To Charity

After the Fiesta Bowl revealed it had misspent funds, buying extravagant, bribe-like gifts for power brokers — including strip club outings — and coercing illegal campaign contributions from staffers, Bowl Championship Series officials rattled their sabers. But despite vague threats to possibly strip the Arizona-based bowl game of its lofty BCS status, the organization has let the bowl off the hook with a stern lecture and an non-punishing punishment.

The AP reports the Fiesta Bowl, a remarkably profitable ($15 million in net assets) nonprofit that boasts of sundry charitable contributions, will suffer a $1 million “fine,” which it will contribute to charities that benefit Arizona youths, presumably not those who put themselves through school with exotic dancing jobs.

The Fiesta Bowl will retain its BCS membership and, according to the story, be asked to “strengthen” its board and execute “greater supervision” over bowl officials. The bowl has already dismissed top officials implicated in the wrongdoing.

If you were the BCS, what kind of punishment would you have dealt to the Fiesta Bowl?

Fiesta Bowl fined, will stay in BCS [AP via Sports Illustrated]

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