The Valero Alamo Bowl announced today a partnership with the Pac-10 Conference whereby the conference's first selection after the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) selection (the second pick overall) will participate in the Valero Alamo Bowl games following the 2010-2013 seasons. The Pac-10 will face a Big 12 opponent in the game.

“We are excited to partner with the Pac-10 and welcome the conference back to San Antonio,” said Gene Dawson, Valero Alamo Bowl Chairman. “This partnership along with our upcoming announcement regarding the Big 12 will add to our growing track record of exciting games between ranked opponents that deliver top ESPN ratings and capacity crowds.”

The Pac-10 has the best winning percentage all-time in bowl games of any conference (.535) highlighted by a perfect 5-0 record in bowl games last year.

"The Pacific-10 Conference is very excited about reaching an agreement with the Valero Alamo Bowl," said Pac-10 Commissioner Larry Scott.   "We view it as a significant enhancement to the Conference bowl lineup.  San Antonio is a marvelous post-season destination and the Valero Alamo Bowl has positioned itself as one of the elite bowl games. We anticipate providing exciting and deserving Pac-10 teams that will provide great matchups for the game, and believe the Valero Alamo Bowl will be a great experience for our football teams and the fans who follow them."

Since its inception in 1993, the Valero Alamo Bowl has hosted 1,131,739 spectators at 16 bowl games and three Big 12 Football Championships. Factoring in the out-of-town fans, the games have resulted in over $260 million direct economic impact on San Antonio and another $23 million in measurable media exposure from the 137 million viewers watching the national television broadcasts.

Over the last 10 years, the Valero Alamo Bowl has the second highest viewership among all the bowl games ESPN televised highlighted by two of the Top 5 most-watched bowl games in ESPN history (#1 in 2006 and #4 in 2005).

“We are ecstatic with this Pac-10 Conference partnership that will send their top pick after the BCS to San Antonio,” said Derrick Fox, President and CEO of the Valero Alamo Bowl. “Based on recent history, this pick will provide an outstanding team for the game as the selection has averaged 10 wins and a Top 15 ranking.”

This season the Valero Alamo Bowl will host the San Antonio Showdown between Notre Dame and WashingtonState on Saturday, October 31 and the Valero Alamo Bowl between the Big 12 and Big Ten conferences on Saturday, January 2.