Capital One Cup Will Honor Top NCAA Programs

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

"What's in your wallet?" is the question asked in those terrible Capital One viking commercials, but thanks to the credit-card company, two universities each year will be able to answer it with one simple reply:

"Two hundred thousand dollars."

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EXTRA: Images From Today's Announcement

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Corporate sponsor Capital One and the NCAA have teamed up to create the Capital One Cup, which will be awarded every July to the most accomplished men's and women's athletic programs. Each of the winning schools will receive a check for $200,000.

The announcement was made in Midtown Manhattan Wednesday, as ESPN host Rece Davis and Capital One Chief Marketing Officer Bill McDonald presided over the event. In addition to Davis, an Alabama graduate, the five other Capital One Cup Advisory Board members were present:

+ Brandi Chastain – Former US women's soccer star from Santa Clara University.

+ Doug Flutie – 1984 Heisman Trophy winner from Boston College.

+ Clark Kellogg – 1982 Big Ten men's basketball MVP from Ohio State.

+ Lisa Leslie – 1994 NCAA women's Basketball Player of the Year from USC.

+ Robin Ventura – 1988 Golden Spikes Award winner from Oklahoma State.

The Capital One Cup will function similar to how the Sears Cup did from 1993-2003 and the Directors Cup has since 2004. Division I universities and colleges are awarded points for their on-field achievements. Top-tier sports include football, basketball and baseball for men, and basketball, softball and volleyball for women. Other sports — once-called non-revenue sports, then upgraded to Olympic sports — like swimming, soccer, golf and others, will comprise the second- and third tiers and will carry less weight in the point totals.

The winners will be announced each July at the ESPY Awards.

Flutie had the line of the day Wednesday when the black cloth was removed from the Cup. As photographers gathered near the front of the stage to snap their pictures, he quipped: "They are professional photographers. That's why they need to take a whole roll of film to get one shot."

Visit the Capital One Cup for more details on the points breakdown. And of course, follow OGS good friend Don Povia on Twitter. He's the nice PR guy who invited me to the event.

Lastly, OGS got some one-on-one time with both Davis and Kellogg. Look for those interviews soon.