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SWAC TV package in serious jeopardy
LUT WILLIAMS
Last Saturday's scheduled telecast of Jackson State's homecoming game against Alabama State in Jackson, Ms., was cancelled two days before the game because of funding shortages. Frank said decisions on the telecasts have been on a week-to-week basis for the last three weeks. Ironically, the problems stem from a lack of funding for producing the three-hour telecasts, which runs around $40-45,000 per game, not the package's ability to attract sponsors. "One thing that's encouraging news has been the advertising," said Frank Monday from the SWAC office in Birmingham. "It's going real well but they (advertisers) don't pay up front. Our problem is cash flow." SWAC signed a deal in August with Ohio-based, Buckeye Communications, now known as WVUE-TV, to put what was in essence a SWAC Game of the Week on the tube this season. Five games have been seen shown on a network of cable and satellite stations reaching over 21 million homes. According to Frank, financing for the deal was to come through The Vision Channel, a North Carolina-based partner to WVUE. That appears to be where the package has run into problems. Efforts Monday to reach WVUE CEO, Mike Riley were unsuccessful. Frank said the SWAC is currently footing some of the bill but had no intentions of seeking a loan or other financing to complete the package. He said the decision would be a collaborative one between the conference, WVUE and The Vision Channel. "We're contacting potential sponsors," said Frank. "We're enthusiastic about the package, but the with the way the economy is, and having the money to put the games on is the question."
© 2001 Azeez Communications, Inc.
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Interim SWAC Commissioner Dr. James Frank
said Monday a decision would be made Wednesday or
Thursday of this week on whether to go forward with the package or cancel it.
