UH a hit with TV networks

By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Staff Writer

As quarterback Tim Chang takes aim at the NCAA career passing yardage record, cable networks are lining up to show the University of Hawai'i's road games this season.

In addition to one home game, all four of the Warriors' road games could end up on various network cablecasts this season. "In fact, I think that is a very good possibility," Jeff Hurd, associate commissioner of the Western Athletic Conference, said.

Along with games at Fresno State (Nov. 13) and Boise State (Oct. 30), which ESPN hopes to move to Friday nights, ESPN Regional Television (ERT) is close to securing the Oct. 16 game at Texas-El Paso while Sports West wants the Sept. 18 game at Rice. ESPN is also looking at the Dec. 4 Michigan State game, a Warriors' home game. UTEP, Rice and Michigan State would be Saturday games

If the games are apportioned as expected, KFVE president and general manager John Fink said it would be the first season his station did not show at least one UH road game.

"We're somewhat at the mercy of the (WAC's) national contracts," Fink said. "We've always known we were going to lose a couple of those (games) but this would be the first time (all could be taken)."

Chang is 2,218 yards from breaking Ty Detmer's mark of 15,031 set in a career that spanned 1988-'91 at Brigham Young. If Chang, who has averaged 320.4 yards a game, stays close to his average, he could break the mark at UTEP, at home against San Jose State or at Boise State.

"Tim Chang is definitely a big part of it (the interest)," Hurd said. "They (the Warriors) are a very good TV team."

"They (the Warriors) have a very high-scoring offense that is fun to watch," said Jesse Christianson, executive producer for Sports West.

Under terms of the contract that is being finalized with ESPN, the network gets first choice of member games. After that ERT, which carries games on a regional basis, gets the next pick followed by SportsWest.

For its share of the new ESPN deal, UH would stand to receive about $167,000 this season for the ESPN and ERT games. Financial returns from the SportsWest portion would likely be negligible, but Hurd said the contract is important to the conference for visibility.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.