UH sports package going high-definition
by Stanley Lee
Advertiser Staff Writer
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Touted as one of the best packages for fans, this season's University of Hawai'i Pay-Per-View package will include home football games in High Definition, 11 additional digital sports channels, and the first-ever Rainbow Wahine volleyball matches in HD.
Oceanic Time Warner Cable and KFVE will broadcast nine of the 13 UH football games this season, which includes four road games. Additionally, a 10th game — UH at UNLV — will be shown on CBS College Sports Network. That network is among Oceanic's 11-channel Digital Sports Pak that is included with the package.
The package also includes several UH men's basketball and women's volleyball matches in HD. UH home football games will be shown in HD. Road games won't be in HD.
"Stepping up to HD, it's more value added to the customer," UH athletic director Jim Donovan said yesterday. "It's becoming the standard.
"I'm proud Oceanic and KFVE were able to partner with us and get it done,"
The PPV season package for O'ahu customers is $400 for renewals and $480 for new customers. Neighbor Island customers can obtain the package for $240 ($200 renewals).
Games purchased individually on PPV range from $25 to $65.
UH is also offering a separate $99 package for its season-ticket holders that will broadcast all road games. Season-ticket holders will receive a letter from UH shortly with details on the package. That package also includes the Sports Pak.
The Sports Pak, which includes NHL Network, FUEL TV, NBA TV, The Tennis Channel, Fox College Sports Atlantic, Fox College Sports Central, Fox College Sports Pacific, CBS College Sports Network, Big Ten Network, Big Ten Network on Demand and Big Ten Network HD, is good until Dec. 31.
Last year, 8,300 PPV season subscriptions were purchased as well as 3,200 of the $99 road packages. Individual game purchases averaged around 1,600.
The UH-UNLV game Sept. 19 was picked up yesterday by CBS College Sports Network and the start time has been pushed back to 8 p.m. Pacific Time.
UH's game at Louisiana Tech (Sept. 30) and home games against Navy (Nov. 28) and Wisconsin (Dec. 5) will be shown on ESPN's networks.
The PPV package includes all matches from the Hawaiian Airlines Wahine Volleyball Classic, and men's basketball games against New Mexico, Lamar and Chicago State.
"I just hope Dave Shoji doesn't mind some close-ups we'll have of him in HD," joked KFVE general manager John Fink.
Also, UH and KFVE are working on a "classics" channel that will broadcast past UH games. Those broadcasts will include an introduction that provides background information.
Oceanic will continue to stream all KFVE broadcasts on the internet, in addition to streams on mobile devices such as iPhones. Those prices range from $6 to $12.