http://www.tidesports.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040810/NEWS/408100343/1011
TV station to air UA sporting events By Adam Jones Staff Writer August 10, 2004 Email this story. TUSCALOOSA | There will be more University of Alabama athletic events on television this year because of an agreement between a resurrected cable network and the university. In Tuscaloosa, the new programming will be available on UA-owned WVUA. The Alabama Cable Network will rebroadcast all Crimson Tide football games and offer more live games of other sports than has been available, said ACN founder Don Early at a news conference on campus Monday. “We’ll only tape delay what we must because of contract," Early said. “We’ll put on so many live events. It’s never been done before." The now defunct College Sports Southeast, or CSSE, bought ACN from Early in 1998. Before the buyout, Early’s crews taped games, drove the tapes to Birmingham and then broadcasted them. Early bought back the rights to ACN and his station, WOTM TV-19 in Birmingham, and has partnered with WVUA-7 in Tuscaloosa so a game can be sent from Tuscaloosa to ACN’s headquarters in Birmingham without tape delay, Early said. ACN can’t broadcast live football games because of contract provisions, but Early said ACN would probably show about 40 live games, including men and women’s basketball, baseball, softball and gymnastics. Crimson Tide Sports Marketing, which owns the rights to Alabama athletic events, will also partner with ACN by providing some on-air talent and letting coach’s shows air on the network. In the Tuscaloosa area, the 125,000 homes with access to WVUA-7 will be able to receive ACN. WOTM TV-19, which reaches 205,000 homes in the Birmingham area, will also play all of ACN’s programs. Statewide, six other stations have agreed to air some ACN programming, meaning about 870,000 homes could receive Crimson Tide athletic events this year. “We want the kid who’s growing up in Dothan to watch Alabama and learn about it through ACN, and we want him to come to school here," said Butch Henry, executive producer of the Crimson Tide Network. Henry said Crimson Tide Sports Marketing wanted more Alabama events on television than the regional Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast can offer. “We need people to know that when they turn on the TV, there’s a station that’s primarily Crimson Tide," he said. Using students and interns from the College of Communication and Information Sciences, UA will also attempt to air non-sports events on ACN, said Culpepper Clark, the dean of the college. “This partnership will open an important door to the state of Alabama for the University of Alabama," UA President Robert Witt said. Possible events for broadcast other than sporting events could include dance and theater performances, Clark said. Reach Adam Jones at [EMAIL PROTECTED] or 722-0230. ______________________________________________________ RollTideFan - The University of Alabama Athletics Discussion List "Welcome to RollTideFan! Wear a cup!" To join or leave the list or to make changes to your subscription visit http://listinfo.rolltidefan.net
