ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, April 13, 1996 TAG: 9604150011
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: ON THE AIR
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK
It's not only spring football games the next two weekends at the state's Division I-A schools that offer a preview of the 1996 season. The TV plans for the upcoming season are coming into focus, too.
It will be a different world in college football on the tube starting next season, and mostly, that's good news for Virginia and Virginia Tech. The return of CBS to college football diminishes the number of regional choices on ABC, which will open the 3:30 p.m. time slot to more ACC games. The Big East shares time with the Southeastern Conference on CBS.
The CBS package and two or three games weekly on ESPN2 not only means more college football for all viewers, it also alters the noontime conference package landscape. In the Roanoke-Lynchburg market, the ACC's noon games are moving and splitting between stations, which may mean less viewership over the 12-week package.
More than ever because of the new deals, having a quality program means more exposure. In 1996, Tech figures to have eight games televised either by CBS, one of two ESPN outlets or the Big East network. Virginia will have at least eight TV games, probably nine, on ABC, CBS, ESPN or ESPN2 and the ACC package. Those numbers could change if either team doesn't play up to its forecast.
Some recent developments on the Tech and UVa telecast plans:
* The Hokies' Big East opener at Boston College on Sept.14, bounced between ESPN and the Big East package as a potential date, will be aired by ESPN at 12:30 p.m.
* Texas' visit to Virginia on Sept.28, moved back two weeks, is probable for ESPN in prime time, and UVa's ACC opener, at home against Maryland on Sept.14, will be televised by Jefferson-Pilot on the ACC package if it isn't picked up by ESPN2.
* The ACC's noon schedule of 12 games will be split between Roanoke's WDBJ (Channel 7) and Danville's WDRG (Channel 24), after a decade on WSET (Channel 13). The Lynchburg station's parent company, Albritton Communications, dropped ACC games on WSET and Washington's WJLA, citing commitments to ABC.
WDBJ is picking up six ACC games around its commitments to noon games on the CBS schedule. The Danville UHF station, which still is not available on some regional cable systems, will have the other six games, a Jefferson-Pilot executive confirmed. The Albritton decision does mean, however, that some ABC noon Big Ten games pre-empted in the past now will be aired.
CBS affiliate WDBJ, which hasn't had college football in recent years, now figures to have the best regional schedule. The Hokies' success puts them on CBS at least three times this fall, meaning they'll probably, after ESPN picks a few games, have only two dates on the Big East schedule, which will air locally again on WSLS (Channel 10).
The only UVa games that don't figure to be televised are against Central Michigan and Duke. Tech's dates with Akron, Southwestern Louisiana and Temple aren't projected for airing. With networks locking in most dates after September only 12 days in advance, schedules could change.
To date, here are the best projections for TV appearances by the two schools:
Virginia Tech - Syracuse, Miami, Virginia (CBS); Boston College, West Virginia (ESPN); East Carolina (ESPN2); Rutgers, Pitt (Big East Network).
Virginia - Florida State, North Carolina, Clemson (ABC); Virginia Tech (CBS); Texas, Georgia Tech (ESPN); Maryland, Wake Forest, N.C. State (ACC Network, although Maryland could do ESPN2).
NEW WORLD: Fox's cable network, fX, begins its 21-game live telecast schedule of World League football today, with the Frankfurt-Rhein game at 1 p.m. On Sunday, fX creates a trans-Atlantic team in the booth, with regular NFL analyst Matt Millen joining British football play-by-play man Nick Halling when London visits the Scottish Claymores.
``It's like Jethro Bodine meeting the Queen of England,'' the irascible Pennsylvania farmer and former All-Pro linebacker Millen said of working with Halling. ``It will be great, but the minute I see him raise his pinky when he grabs the mike, I know we're in trouble.'' The cable network will air World games live most Saturdays at 1 and Sundays at 10 a.m. through mid-June.
PICK 'EM: The entire NFL Draft will be televised from Madison Square Garden's theatre next weekend, between ESPN and ESPN2, with the first three rounds Saturday and the final four rounds Sunday. ESPN has the first seven hours Saturday, starting at noon. ``The Deuce'' carries Round 3 to completion. ESPN has two hours Sunday starting at 11 a.m., before going to live coverage of the NASCAR Goody's 500 at Martinsville Speedway. ESPN2 has live draft coverage from 1 p.m. Sunday until the last pick is made.
ONE MORE: Former heavyweight champ Larry Holmes makes his first appearance since January on USA Network's ``Tuesday Night Fights'' next week. It will be his 69th pro bout. ``I'm going to get out after my 70th fight,'' Holmes told the network. ``Two more fights and that's it for me, I promise.'' To which USA blow-by-blow voice Al Albert quipped, ``Did Larry say he was going to retire after his 70th fight or his 70th birthday?''
SURFING: The National Cheerleading Association championships air on tape today on NBC (1:30 p.m., WSLS). Virginia Tech's Hokie Bird won the mascot title, and Tech's cheerleaders finished fourth. Both routines are expected to air in the show. ... The Salem Avalanche's baseball radio network has added WXCF (1230 AM, 103.9 FM) in Clifton Forge for the season and is seeking a New River Valley outlet.
LENGTH: Medium: 95 linesby CNB