Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, August 20, 1994 TAG: 9408230027
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BY JACK BOGACZYK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Channel 7 will air 32 games from the Raycom/Jefferson-Pilot package, including eight Virginia appearances and the final seven games of the ACC Tournament. The 25-game regular-season schedule includes 19 weekend afternoon games and six prime-time contests.
One of those night games is the Virginia-Virginia Tech game on Feb.28 at the Richmond Coliseum. The Hokies also appear in another non-conference game on the package, Jan. 21 against North Carolina at the Greensboro Coliseum. UVa or UNC appears in each of the six prime-time telecasts.
``We're excited about ACC basketball returning to WDBJ,'' said Mike Bell, director of programming at Channel 7. ``It's a plus for us to add sports programming with that kind of interest in the region.''
Bell said WDBJ has agreed to a two-year contract with Raycom, and the 1995-96 schedule calls for a minimum of 32 games. Channel 7 receives few commercial spots to sell in the deal, with Raycom retaining most of the sales inventory and paying stations to carry the package. Bell would not reveal the Raycom compensation amount to WDBJ.
WSET general manager Jerry Heilman was out of his office Friday and could not be reached for comment on why the ACC package is leaving WSET. It is known Channel 13, as the incumbent carrier at the end of a four-year contract, had right of first refusal on the package with Raycom.
``We had discussions with WSET, and Jerry said they didn't wish to renew,'' said Judy Jenkins, director of affiliate relations for Raycom Sports. ``We were kind of surprised. We don't often change affiliates in a market.''
A local TV source said WDBJ and WSLS (Channel 10) were the finalists for the ACC games. WSET will continue to carry ACC football telecasts from Jefferson-Pilot Sports.
WDBJ will pre-empt much of the CBS college basketball regular-season schedule - mostly Big East and Big Ten games - for ACC coverage. Channel 7 last aired the ACC in 1979-80, when C.D. Chesley was the rights-holder and producer. It was Chesley who first teamed analyst Billy Packer with the late Jim Thacker on the ACC regional games.
The ACC's move from WSET likely will enthuse viewers of two sports - bowling and NASCAR. WSET has been pre-empting ABC's bowling package for 14 years, and has tape-delayed the broadcasts of the Winston Cup race each March from Atlanta because it ran in the same time period as the ACC Tournament final.
The opener of the ACC telecast schedule is Virginia's visit to Florida State on Wednesday, Jan.4.
by CNB