PROVO, Utah » The University of Hawaii and Oceanic Time Warner Cable have reportedly reached an agreement in principle on a multi-year extension of their rights deal.
A front-loaded provision of the deal is expected to assure that UH will receive at least $2.3 million this year, even though the school was unable to provide the minimum seven TV games to Oceanic for its pay-per-view package per its current contract.
Bob Barlow, president of Oceanic, referred questions to Time Warner Cable Sports in Los Angeles, which handled the negotiations. But Barlow said, "I did notice a lot of smiles from our people … and that’s a good thing."
Rockne Freitas, acting UH athletic director, declined comment.
UH was able to secure just three contests (Lamar, South Alabama and New Mexico) for Oceanic under the Mountain West Conference contract constraints and the cable operator had to negotiate with MWC rights holder CBS for three more third-tier games (Colorado State, Fresno State and Nevada-Las Vegas). That left Oceanic with just six football games this season, the fewest in a decade.
Wadsworth transfer issue still simmering
Defensive back Mike Wadsworth, whose transfer case sparked controversy during the offseason, is a walk-on at BYU and the issue is apparently still simmering.
A native of nearby Orem, Utah, Wadsworth accepted a scholarship from UH and played on special teams for the Warriors as a freshman in 2009 before going on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which owns and operates BYU.
After returning, he petitioned to be allowed to transfer to BYU, which had not offered him a scholarship out of high school but was offering him one after his mission. But UH refused, meaning Wadsworth could still transfer if he chose but would not be eligible to receive a scholarship immediately.
Norm Chow said UH would accommodate Wadsworth’s request for any school but BYU, which is on Hawaii’s schedule for several years.
Wadsworth and his family requested a hearing by UH and the plea was rejected this summer.
On a segment of ESPN’s "Outside the Lines" in July, Chow said, "There was a little bit of tampering going on."
BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall has denied the Cougars tampered and told Utah media this week, "We don’t recruit when players are on their missions. When players want to transfer, the first thing that’s usually signaled is foul play. But we won’t, didn’t and haven’t violated any rules nor will we in the future. It’s just unfortunate that anyone thought we did."
Mendenhall told the Deseret News, "Everyone makes mistakes. I’ll greet him (Chow) before the game just like anybody."
Chow back at BYU as an opponent for third time
Today’s game marks the third time Chow has come to BYU for a game as an opposing coach since leaving the school in 2000.
He was an assistant at USC when the Trojans won here, 42-10, in 2004. He was also a winner with Utah in 2011, 54-10, but lost with UCLA, 59-0, in 2008.
BYU has four players from Hawaii on its roster: running back Michael Alisa (Laie), tight end Kakeakua Friel (Kaneohe), and defensive linemen Simote Vea (Hauula) and Ian Dulan (Hilo).
Coaches promote muscular dystrophy campaign
The UH and BYU coaching staffs will wear "Coach to Cure MD" patches as part of an awareness campaign for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy research.
Oceanic’s Eldredge to be honored in Provo
Oceanic baseball analyst Pal Eldredge will be among those honored at a gathering in Provo this weekend of the 1968 BYU baseball team, celebrating the team’s appearance in the College World Series.
