UH athletics readying big Chang campaign
By Ferd Lewis and Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writers
The University of Hawai'i athletic department is planning the "most extensive" promotional campaign in its history this year for quarterback Tim Chang's assault on the NCAA career passing record, officials said.
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The plan is to feature Chang, who needs 2,218 yards to break the record of 15,031 yards set by Ty Detmer of Brigham Young (1988-'91), in a special mail-out package, on his own Web site, in e-mails, in updates and in an online yard-by-yard countdown toward the record.
UH quarterback Tim Chang is 2,218 yards shy of breaking Ty Detmer's NCAA mark of 15,031.
In addition, the school is considering possible contest tie-ins to get fans involved and sell tickets during the record pursuit.
Sports information director Lois Manin said the effort, "has been a work in progress from last summer to this summer and will continue on through this year."
She said school officials will sit down with Chang and head coach June Jones next month before fall camp starts and outline the campaign and seek input. "We just want to make sure it is OK with Timmy," Manin said.
Last year UH distributed a "TC for Heisman" DVD to media outlets. This year, Manin said, "it will be more (about) keeping people informed. Last year we were trying to get people's attention. This year we want to make sure everybody has the information so they know when he is on the cusp (of the record)."
Manin said, "basically, we're putting together an information package to FedEx out to all the ESPN talent, SportsWest, ABC, NBC, CBS — everybody that is anybody."
After that will come updates and weekly e-mail reminders. She said the school is looking at ways of making Chang's game highlights available on the Web site to boost his candidacy for several major awards.
In the past, UH has conducted promotional efforts on behalf of All-American defensive tackle Al Noga, slotback Jeff Sydner and basketball player Carl English, among others. But Manin said they involved mostly "one-time mailouts."
The cost of the Chang campaign, Manin said, "will be very minimal." She estimated it would cost less than $1,000.
When Detmer set the record in 1991, breaking the previous mark set by Todd Santos of San Diego State, the mark was almost a promotional afterthought, a BYU official said.
"With so many records having been set, by Jim McMahon in particular, they (records) got to be kind of ho-hum around here even though they were big-deal records," said Ralph Zobell of the BYU sports information office.
He said the promotions were more targeted to Detmer's Heisman Trophy and All-American candidacies.
BYU's big promotion of the Detmer era involved a sending out cloth-like ties inscribed with "5 Reasons the Heisman Race Should End in a Ty" to media outlets. On a nationally televised game with Miami, several thousand were distributed for fans to wear in Cougar Stadium.
BYU also distributed Detmer in an Indiana Jones-like poster for his senior year billed as "The Last Crusade."
Detmer won the 1990 Heisman Trophy and finished third in 1991. He was a consensus All-American both seasons.
Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044. Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8051.
