Posted on: Tuesday, February 8, 2005

ESPN wants to showcase UH

By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Staff Writer

The University of Hawai'i has been asked to consider moving its Saturday night football games against Southern California and Wisconsin to Friday this season to accommodate ESPN, which would like to show the games nationally.

Herman Frazier, UH athletic director, said the request came through the Western Athletic Conference and no decision has yet been reached.

The Warriors are scheduled to play two-time defending national champion USC on Sept. 3 — part of the four-day Labor Day (Sept. 5) weekend. Their Nov. 26 game with Wisconsin is part of the Thanksgiving weekend.

The Wisconsin game would be the easier of the two to move, officials said. Frazier said through Lois Manin, the school's sports information director, that he has had preliminary talks with the WAC and Wisconsin about the possibilities but no decision has been made.

Under terms of the WAC-ESPN television contract, UH could be compelled to move one of the games. If it is, the school would be eligible to receive a $50,000 "hardship" allowance from the conference.

If UH moved the Wisconsin game it would likely have to arrange a switch of dates with the Hawai'i High School Athletic Association, which is scheduled to hold its semifinal round of state football playoffs Nov. 25. In the past, the HHSAA has made the switch.

Keith Amemiya, executive director of the HHSAA, said he would be willing to consider such a move if the request came early enough.

Meanwhile, the WAC said UH will not be involved in any of its mid-week football gams. Under its new contract, the WAC has agreed to provide ESPN with two midweek games, appearing on either Tuesday or Wednesday nights this season. UH had been assured none of its home games would be moved to midweek but there had been a possibility of playing one on the road.

Karl Benson, WAC commissioner, said UH could have as many as five of its games on tele-vision or cable this year. In addition to the USC and Wisconsin games, he said the network was looking at the Warriors' games with Boise State and Fresno State.

"Those are the games that jump out at you as being attractive to TV," Benson said. He said he expects UH's Sept. 10 game at Michigan State to be part of the Big Ten's package. A Michigan State spokesman said no announcement was likely until late spring.

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