WEST DES MOINES — The already fierce rivalry between Iowa and Iowa State has added a new level.

ISU athletic director Bruce Van De Velde and Iowa athletic director Bob Bowlsby announced Thursday the creation of the Hy-Vee Cy-Hawk Series, a yearlong competition between the two universities.

“More than anything else, I think the thing that is important about [the series] is that it will help draw attention to the rivalry between the institution that has been a good one throughout the years in many different sports,” Bowlsby said.

Hy-Vee will be the title sponsor of the competition, with Coca-Cola and Kraft as presenting sponsors.

“We think the [Iowa-Iowa State] rivalry is a strong rivalry with a lot positive things to it, and we think it deserves to be protected and even enhanced,” said Ric Jergens, the CEO and president of Hy-Vee Inc.

Schools will receive points for each head-to-head game they win during the year.

This season, the schools will meet in football; soccer; men’s and women’s basketball; wrestling; swimming and diving; gymnastics; and softball.

A football win is worth three points, while a win in every other sport is worth two.

Football was given a one-point boost over other sports because of the buildup to each year’s game. Last year, the Hawkeyes broke Iowa State’s five-year winning streak in the intrastate game.

“As a gemstone event — the one the majority of people in Iowa look forward to — is that whole week of Iowa-Iowa State football,” Bowlsby said. “I think we all felt it warranted just a little more attention because of the depth and breadth of the interest in it.

“We looked at several different models around the country and just felt like this represented the best of all elements.”

Other schools have a similar program, Bowlsby said, citing the Oregon-Oregon State, Oklahoma-Oklahoma State and Duke-North Carolina rivalries as examples.

There is also an academic component to the competition, with each school receiving two points if the university’s student-athlete graduation rate is greater then the national average for all student-athletes.

Van De Velde said that he hopes the series will also highlight the sports that don’t receive as much attention as others.

The two universities have signed a four-year agreement that will guarantee $1.5 million, which will be split between to the two schools.

“As in most things we do, there is a little money involved, and that’s a good thing, obviously,” Bowlsby said. “It helps support both universities, and we’ve tried to put together a sponsorship package that are true partnerships, and that’s how we view this one.”