THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 27, 1994 TAG: 9410270601
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: Short : 40 lines
There has been a parting of the ways between the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament and ESPN.
The 43rd annual PIT, a postseason basketball tournament for NBA hopefuls, will not be televised by the cable network. ESPN televised the championship and consolation championship games the past two years. This year's tournament is scheduled for April 5-8 at Churchland High School.
PIT chairman Mahlon Parker confirmed Wednesday that his committee and city officials had agreed to discontinue the affiliation with ESPN.
``This isn't to say that we will not talk with other cable networks this year or not reconsider our association with ESPN in another year,'' Parker said. ``The city left the decision to us, and our executive committee feels we want to do some things differently.''
ESPN had required the PIT to play its championship game at noon and follow it with a 4 p.m. consolation game.
``We have never liked this,'' Parker said. ``They gave us a time slot and that was it. We feel it left us with a lot of glitches. Obviously nobody wanted to stick around for a consolation game after the championship game had been played.
``I think there is a general feeling that we would prefer our old format of three games on the final day - the consolation championship, the third-place game and the championship game. And I think everybody wants the championship game at night, not at noon.
``I have mixed feelings about parting with ESPN. It was good advertising for the city and national exposure for the tournament. But right now we are going to focus our attention on filling the gymnasium.''
Parker said the PIT committees will be meeting on Nov. 16 and will firm up their plans at that time. by CNB