UB Sports on Television Decreasing

Now that the basketball season has just gotten hot, and students are joyously rushing the court in record numbers, it's clear that the popularity of UB varsity sports is rising.

Some say a sign of well-rounded collegiate teams is regular appearance on television, but when it comes to airtime, UB gets a pretty short end, according to Assistant Athletic Director Paul Vecchio.

Vecchio shared several factors that contribute to the scarcity of UB sports on television, including budget shortages, the varsity teams' Mid-American Conference standings, and recent problems with the Empire Sports Network.

"Certainly there are monetary constraints, but it's really a combination of things. We are not funded for it or at the point with the MAC conference where we can spend millions," he said. "We are not in a conference that has millions of television dollars thrown at them."

Empire Sports Network showed a great deal of interest in broadcasting UB athletic events, Vecchio said, but had budget cuts due to the alleged multi-billion dollar fraud of their parent company, Adelphia.

"Empire Sports Network is a local station that has the wherewithal and interest in local sports. Three to four years ago we had many more televised games, but with Empire Sports Network's parent company Adelphia cutting back, it hurt us," he said.

According to David Tasca, producer at Empire Sports Network, collegiate coverage by the station has dropped in the past two years due to budget cuts associated with Adelphia.

"The MAC package for football is two games per year," he said. "We used to do a lot more."

Tasca said Empire now runs three men's and one women's basketball game per season, only half as many games as they used to show.

"We used to do at least five men's basketball games and two women's. That's gone down drastically," he said.

Vecchio said he recognizes that UB does not yet have the standings and winning records that spark interest from television companies.

"We are not in a position yet where ESPN will call us and say, 'We want to do your game next Saturday at Alumni Arena,'" Vecchio said.

According to head football coach Jim Hofher, a lack of televised games isn't the problem.

"The students want to be where the action is," Hofher said. "Why televise that into the rooms of the students when they can attend this happening live? Televising a home game will not generate student support. Winning does."

But Vecchio said televised games won't keep fans holed up in their dorm rooms - on the contrary, it will boost team esteem.

"Televising games doesn't impact attendance as much as you think it would. Having games on television makes people excited to go to a university," Vecchio said.

Many students say they'd like to see their teams on television.

Katy Noviello, freshman captain of the varsity crew team and exercise science major, said it would help generate needed support for all UB athletic teams - not just the mandated MAC sports like football and basketball, but all varsity sports like hockey and women's soccer.

"I think it would be a good idea," Noviello said. "It would get our varsity sports more recognition. Watching sports on television makes it look more exciting."

UB is not the only university in the area suffering from the lack of televised games.

Mike Hermann, the athletic director for Niagara University, also a Division I school, said he knows the value of television to his university athletics.

"At Niagara, we value any television opportunities we have," Hermann said. "We work hard to maximize those opportunities. The broadcasts were a great service to the local sports community, as well as the colleges."

Vecchio said the athletic department isn't just looking for support from local broadcast companies and the MAC; it is also turning inward to find on-campus opportunities in students who can offer television skills.

"We are working on and getting a feel for our market. We are looking at on campus opportunities through the Student Association and especially the communications department," he said.

Yet as far as airing live games exclusively on campus cable - by students, for students - UB simply isn't equipped, according to Pete Niland, assistant director of University Residence Halls and Apartments.

"To put it plainly, we don't have the broadcast capabilities. We have no studio," said Niland.

"SA has done some things. They have taped a few games," he added. "If we get a tape of the game, then we could possibly show it on the residence hall station. But broadcasting live would be impossible at this point."

Students and coaches still agree that winning is key to UB's athletic problems. Jean Tassy, UB's women's soccer coach said she knows what broadcasters and the UB community are looking for.

"We are a society that strives on winning as a means of defining its focal point for success," Tassy said. "If our mandated sports were winning, I am pretty sure that the TV people would be coming to us."