KGMB gets
Classic TV rights

The high-school doubleheader
may be shown live

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Star-Bulletin staff

KGMB has been awarded the rights to televise the HHSAA/First Hawaiian Bank Football Classic, the station announced yesterday.

The Sept. 21 high school doubleheader featuring football powers from California and Hawaii will be broadcast live throughout the state if 40,000 tickets are sold prior to game day.

Nearly 20,000 tickets have already been sold for the event and KGMB general manager Rick Blangiardi is confident the sales quota will be met in time to ensure a live broadcast.

"We're really going to do everything we can to help with the ticket sales," Blangiardi said. "We believe these games have interest on every level throughout the state."

The doubleheader begins with Kahuku taking on Long Beach Poly at 5 p.m. at Aloha Stadium. St. Louis plays De La Salle at 8.

Former ESPN and KGMB anchor Larry Beil will handle play-by-play for the doubleheader. Beil is now a weekend sports anchor for the ABC affiliate in San Francisco. John Veneri of KHON will provide color commentary and KGMB sports anchor Liz Chun will be the sideline reporter.

The games will be broadcast live on radio by Champions in Paradise. The games are tentatively set to air on KKEA 1420 AM and KUMU 1500 AM.

De La Salle entered the week ranked first in the country in the the Student Sports Fab 50 poll, and owns a 125-game winning streak. Long Beach Poly was ranked seventh in this week's poll and St. Louis 13th. Kahuku is the two-time defending state champion.

"Selling at least 40,000 tickets will benefit our community in a number of ways," HHSAA Executive Director Keith Amemiya said. "Not only will the proceeds benefit our schools, but filling the stadium will allow this great event to be broadcast to the entire state and it will ensure our high school players on the field know that we support their efforts."

Blangiardi said the station will also pursue a deal to air the games on the mainland through Fox Sports West and various West Coast stations.

The doubleheader is generating interest among media on the mainland and abroad. Representatives from Student Sports Inc. and the Contra Costa Times are scheduled to attend the doubleheader, as is a crew from Samoa Sports Monthly magazine.

Also, a group of about 250 alumni of St. Louis, Kahuku and Long Beach Poly and their families now living in American Samoa are planning to make the trip to see the games.

Tickets for the HHSAA Classic are available through all Ticket Plus outlets and can be purchased online at www.ticketplus.com and by phone by calling (808) 526-4400 or 1-877-750-4400. Tickets are also available at the Aloha Stadium box office Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or by calling the stadium charge line at (808) 484-1122.

Football Classic Who: Kahuku vs. Long Beach Poly (5 p.m.); St. Louis vs. De La Salle (8 p.m.) When: Sept. 21 Where: Aloha Stadium TV: KGMB (time TBD) Radio: KKEA 1420-AM and KUMU 1500 AM