The new best-of-three format to decide the Women's College World Series apparently is a big hit with Division I softball fans.

Game 3 of the championship series between the University of Michigan and the University of California, Los Angeles, drew a 1.83 rating, and the average for all three championship games was 1.34.

ESPN shared its satisfaction with the Division I Softball Committee at the committee's annual meeting July 5-8 in Indianapolis.

Overall, WCWS ratings were up 58 percent on ESPN, and the rating increased 19 percent on games broadcast on ESPN2.

"This is the first time we went to a three-game series (final) and I think that made all the difference," said ESPN strategic program planner Laura Sandillo. "It out-rated baseball in some instances. It was a pleasant surprise. The three-game series added to the mystery. Everybody was anticipating the third game."

It helped that the final game of the championship series was dramatic, too. Michigan freshman first baseman Samantha Findlay's three-run home run in the top of the 10th inning gave the Wolverines a 4-1 victory.

Michigan is the first team east of the Mississippi River to win the title.

The best-of-three final wasn't the only change instituted for the Division I championship. For the first time, the bracket was broken into 16 four-team double-elimination regionals followed by eight super regionals that consisted of a best-of-three series, with the winners earning a berth in the WCWS.

In previous years, the bracket consisted of eight eight-team, double-elimination regionals, with the winners advancing to Oklahoma City.

The committee reviewed the first year of the format and found some growing pains. The biggest concern was having the warm-up facilities available before games at regional sites. Members agreed to emphasize warm-up facilities when it comes to regional site-selection criteria.

Committee members also talked about maintaining a collegial environment both during regular-season and postseason competition. Some committee members were concerned about the behavior of coaches and fans during the 2005 season.

The committee will work with the umpires to emphasize that taunting the opposition will no longer be tolerated, and poor on-field behavior by coaches will be policed to a higher standard.

The Divisions II and III Softball Committees also met in Indianapolis. Following are their actions, by division.

Division II

In 2006, the Division II championship bracket will expand to 64 teams.

The Division II Softball Committee has plans to adopt a similar format as Division I, with the championship consisting of 16 regional sites and eight super regionals for 2007 and beyond.

Under the concept that still must be approved by the Division II Championships Committee, the regionals would be conducted over a three-day period and the best-of-three super regional would be held over a two-day period. The championship tournament would be contested over a five-day period.

In other items, the softball committee recommended 22 automatic qualifiers for the 2006 championship.

Members also reviewed bids for the 2007 and 2008 championship finals.

Division III

Bracket expansion also was a topic for the Division III committee. A 59-team field will compete for the national championship in 2006, an increase from the 43-team bracket in 2005.

Division III will use the NCAA Softball Improvement Program to assist in the selection of umpires for first rounds and the finals.

With that in mind, the committee drafted guidelines (similar to existing guidelines used for the other two divisions) to govern the selection of umpires.

The committee recognized the significant enhancement of the student-athlete hospitality area at the 2005 championship as a result of the $5,000 supplementary funding grant underwritten by the NCAA.

Site recommendations for the 2007 and 2008 championships also were made. The Division III Championships Committee will review those this fall.