Updates on UH's conference situation from the Star-Advertiser

About how the issue of whether or not UH can keep their PPV contract is one of the biggest issues left for the UH and the MWC, JD said:
"As (UH) President M.R.C. Greenwood said, a few things remain to be discussed, and that would be one of them." (HSA)


About how PPV might be eliminated, JD said:
"When you're a member of a conference, sometimes you have to accept what's for the good of the conference. Could it be that pay-per-view will go away? Yes, that's one option. It could be 20 different ways that this works out." (HSA)


A MWC spokesman said that under the MWC's current agreement with CBS CS and Comcast:
"the television partners hold the rights to local football and basketball telecasts." (HSA)


Hoping that PPV can continue, John Fink said:
"We will want to see how it all plays out and (hope) the local rights are protected the best UH can. We're optimistic." (HSA)


HSA Note: "Under its current deal with Oceanic Time Warner Cable and KFVE, UH is guaranteed $2.3 million per year for its local TV and PPV rights and has earned as much as $2.6 million total through incentives. Despite a dip in PPV sales this year, Donovan has said he expects UH to realize $7.5 million in fees for the 3-year period that concludes next month. In addition, UH receives approximately $400,000 annually from the WAC for its share of the current conference TV contract. The WAC is guaranteed 12 football games on ESPN or ESPN2 annually and 10 on ESPNU, plus 15 basketball games and limited exposure for some other sports. The MWC's TV contract runs through 2015-16 and is worth $12 million annually, three times the WAC deal, although there is an option to renegotiate for 2011-12 due to changes in membership."


"Let me cut to the chase: Depending upon what happens going forward in the future, we may lose a lot of our TV revenue that we are getting right now." (HSA)


About how losing UH could make North Texas want to join the WAC, Karl Benson told the media yesterday:
"perhaps even the departure of Hawaii -- or possible departure -- may make the WAC more attractive to North Texas in not having to incur travel costs of all the other sports to Hawaii." (HSA)

Note: North Texas publicly rejected the WAC (again) a few hours after Benson told the media that the WAC was inviting North Texas.


About how he will meet with JD today at the WAC Volleyball tournament to try to convince him to keep UH in the WAC, Benson said:
"I will reiterate the WAC's desire for Hawaii to remain in the WAC and our willingness to work with Hawaii to create a structure that will be beneficial to them and to the WAC. Our intention here is to let the University of Hawaii know they are a valued member of the WAC." (HSA)


HSA Note: "Benson declined to elaborate on what proposals he might make to Donovan. However, he reaffirmed an offer made last Thursday to permit UH to remain as a football-only member, if Hawaii so chooses."


Benson said that the WAC will survive and that he:
"expects to have a minimum of eight members on July 1, 2012 (the date UH would leave if accepted by the MWC)." (HSA)


About how Karl Benson is scheduled to meet with him today to try to convince him to keep UH in the WAC, JD said:
"I'm willing to meet with him." (HSA)

"I'll listen to the offer and bring it back to the leadership team." (HSA)


About how UH could have to give up its PPV rights or to split the money with the MWC, JD said:
"You could come up with so many scenarios it's not funny." (HSA)


HSA Note: "He added that UH is used to dealing with TV decisions made for "the greater good" of the conference that hit Manoa in the wallet. "(ESPN picking up) the Boise State game is a perfect example of that," he said."


http://www.staradvertiser.com/sports/sportsnews/20101123_UH_is_optimistic_local_TV_rights_will_be_protected.html

http://www.staradvertiser.com/columnists/furtherreview/20101123_Weakened_WAC_tries_to_keep_UH_in_the_fold.html

http://www.staradvertiser.com/sports/sportsnews/20101123_Hawaiis_withdrawal_could_aid_WAC_in_drawing_new_schools.html