STAR-BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2001
Under the new telecast deal, most UH football home games will be available live on TV via pay-per-view.
Warrior football The University of Hawaii has reached a new three-year sports television contract with KHNL/KFVE that will allow viewers on Oahu to watch Warrior home football games live for $12.95 per game.
to air live for a fee
A new broadcast deal includes
pay-per-view on Oahu for
$12.95 for each home gameUH extends marketing contract
By Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.com
According to the contract announced today, UH will get $700,000 a year -- down from $1.3 million this year, the last of the current five-year deal with KHNL/KFVE. But the new agreement, effective Aug. 1, also includes additional revenue from live pay-per-view for Warrior football games.
Beginning this season, fans on Oahu can watch one game live for $12.95, or all seven home games KHNL/KFVE is showing for $75.
Neighbor island viewers, who previously got the games live for free, now will be charged $5 for one, or $25 for the season.
"They can't go to the game. We're trying to be sensitive to the fact that they didn't have to pay in the past, but it's still the best deal of anyone in the state," said KHNL/KFVE General Manager and Vice President John Fink of the neighbor-island viewers.
Previously, UH's non-sellout home football games televised by KHNL/KFVE were shown delayed on Oahu.
Opponents of live telecasts say it will cut into attendance. Fink disagrees.
"What we're doing allows 830,000 Oahu residents -- who don't go, for whatever reason -- to enjoy the game," Fink said. "There are many factors that affect how many people actually go to the game."
The agreement, which was negotiated over four months, was signed earlier this week by Fink and Paul Costello, UH's Vice President of External Relations.
"I think everyone understands the economic reality of what a bad year it's been," said Fink, referring to the $600,000 decrease in the rights fee. "We think the pay-per-view provision can help make that up."
Costello said "this agreement guarantees the university a fair financial return for broadcast rights for UH sports. It also offers fans an enormous amount of continued sports coverage free in addition to the first-time live coverage on pay-per-view for Oahu."
UH gets 70 percent of money generated from pay-per-view sales, up to $1 million each year.
Anything over that amount is divided equally among UH, KHNL/KFVE and Oceanic Cablevision.
Oceanic subscribers who do not have a cable box will need one to order the games on pay-per-view.
The company will supply a box for free during football season for viewers who want to use the service.
In August, KHNL/KFVE will announce bars, restaurants and hotels that also will provide live telecasts. The establishments will be charged $10 per fire-code capacity.
UH went 9-3 last season, but the only sellout was the season-ending game against Brigham Young, which was televised by ESPN.
ESPN -- which, along with other national networks, can pre-empt KHNL/KFVE at will and with little notice -- has already chosen to telecast three UH football games this season, including the Nov. 30 home match up against Alabama. ESPN can do the same in basketball.
The new contract has a provision that refunds $30,000 to KHNL/KFVE for the third home event, and each thereafter, that is pre-empted by national or regional telecasts.
As part of the contract, KHNL/KFVE agrees to show all home and away football games, all home men's basketball games, all home baseball games, all home men's and women's volleyball games, and at least six women's home basketball games, four home softball games, two home women's soccer games, one men's and women's swim meet and one women's water polo match.
There also will be a 30-minute weekly UH television show.
KHNL/KFVE plans to continue showing 120 events (200 including rebroadcasts) each year, Fink said.
Herman Frazier, UH's new athletic director, begins work the same day that the new contract takes effect.
"I think Hawaii is unique in being able to have a local television package like that. Many schools are envious of it," Frazier said. "And when you look at the football schedule with three games getting nationally televised by ESPN, I look forward to some great exposure for our programs and the university."
KHNL/KFVE has held the rights to UH sports since 1984. Fink said the relationship likely will continue despite the potential of increased competition from ESPN and others.
"Everyone wants to see how the pay-per-view works out," Fink said. "Assuming it works out to everyone's satisfaction we think it will extend to 2007."
Fink said Raycom (owner of KHNL/KFVE) and UH are close to finalizing a new regional TV deal with Fox West 2 for Southern California and some areas of Nevada.
"We're also exploring partnerships in China and Japan," Fink said.
Some details from the new contract between UH and KHNL/KFVE : Details revealed of UH's TV deal
MINIMUM TO BE AIRED
The following, at a minimum, will be telecast:
>> All home and away football games.
>> All home women's and men's volleyball games.
>> 6 women's home basketball games.
>> 4 women's home softball games.
>> 2 women's home soccer games.
>> 1 swim meet.
>> 1 water polo match.FEE FOR FOOTBALL GAMES
Home football games will be shown on a delayed basis throughout the state, except for live pay-per-view at the following rates:
>> $12.95 per game for Oahu viewers (or all 7 games for $75).
>> $5 per game for neighbor island viewers (or all 7 games for $25).UH gets 70 percent of the fees up to $1 million. Anything above is split evenly among UH, KHNL/KFVE and Oceanic Cablevision.
CONTRACT COSTS
KFVE pays UH for exclusive local TV rights:
>> $700,000 per year for three years with a two year renewal option, compared to $1.2 million per year in the prior contract.
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