Oceanic ready if number of pay-per-view games changes
By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer
Oceanic Cable has developed a contingency plan in case telecasts are added or subtracted from its pay-per-view season package of University of Hawai'i home football games.
In the next two weeks, Oceanic will begin selling a five-game package. For O'ahu subscribers, the season package is $75 for renewals and $100 for new orders. Neighbor Island packages are priced at $25 and $40.
UH plays seven regular-season games at Aloha Stadium this year. But K5 president John Fink, whose station owns the television rights to UH sports and produces the pay-per-view telecasts, expects ESPN or ESPN2 to show free live telecasts of the Warriors' games against Boise State and Alabama. ESPN has not released its 2003 football schedule, but Fink said, "at this point, we expect to have five games in our season (pay-per-view) package."
If ESPN decides to pick up the Oct. 11 game between host UH and Fresno State, Oceanic will offer a pro-rated discount of $15 for O'ahu residents with renewed subscriptions and $20 for those with first-time subscriptions. On the Neighbor Islands, the rebates are $5 and $8.
The UH-Boise State game is assured of national coverage. But if ESPN or ESPN2 decides not to televise the UH-Alabama game, O'ahu season subscribers may purchase that game for $15 or $20, depending on if their subscriptions are renewed or new. Neighbor Island season subscribers pay $5 or $8.
Non-subscribers will be charged the usual individual-game price of $25-$35 on O'ahu and $10-$25 on the Neighbor Islands.
ESPN has televised the last two meetings between UH and Fresno State. But Fink said, "at this point, we've been given every indication the Fresno game won't be picked up."
Fink also said it appears UH's road game against Southern California will not be televised nationally.
There is a possibility that game will be show on regional television in California. Telecasts of UH's six road games — produced by either K5, a regional network or a national station — are live and not part of the pay-per-view package.
Fink said there is no timetable to finding a replacement for Dick Tomey, who served as analyst on K5's UH football telecasts the past two years.
Tomey, a former UH head coach, is an assistant coach with the San Francisco 49ers.
