WABI’s Husson deal troublesome for WZON> All-sports station left with `informal’ pact

After more than two months of negotiating, wrangling, and confusion, Bangor radio station WABI (910 AM) has emerged as the official station of Husson College sports for the 1997-98 school year.

Officials at Bangor all-sports station WZON (620 AM) thought they had a deal in place a month ago to broadcast 15 men’s and women’s Braves basketball games this season, but that was before a formal offer from WABI pushed the Sports Zone’s informal offer onto the sidelines.

As a result, WABI will have exclusive rights to 30 men’s and women’s basketball games, playoff games, and baseball games at the Bangor-based college.

“It’s my mistake. I’m taking the blame,” said Julie Green, who took over Husson’s media relations director job six months ago. “I didn’t make any agreement with WZON, but I didn’t know about the previous talks with WZON either.”

WZON program director Dale Duff said he has been in contact with both of Husson’s head basketball coaches and officials, including athletic director Pam Hennessey and Husson President William Beardsley, since August.

“I believe we have a valid agreement that came in first. But at this point, I don’t really care,” said Duff, who explained WZON did not air Husson’s Nov. 6 men’s game and will not air Thursday night’s game due to the scheduling snafu.

Both Green, who is also assistant to the president and Beardsley explained that WZON’s talks and proposals were always “informal” in nature, while WABI went through more of a formal process before its proposal was accepted.

Since part of the agreement between Husson and WABI gives WABI exclusivity for all its Husson broadcasts and WZON’s 15 were among those broadcasts, WZON cannot air those games.

“Exclusivity was a condition I wanted because I feel the product and market are too small to support more than one station,” said WABI station manager George Hale. “We weren’t going to commit the time, money, and manpower to do these games without it.”

Beardsley blames the controversy on the administration’s failure to get the word out about WABI’s agreement to the coaches.

“We never had a contract with WZON. The problem was we never clarified anything,” Beardsley explained. “I think it’s all due to a misunderstanding and a lack of communication.”

That may not satisfy officials at WZON, which has carried Husson sports events for the last five years. Although advertising spots have already been sold, Duff said it’s the principle that bothers him more than the lost ad money.

“We don’t want to be where we’re not wanted,” said Duff. “If Husson doesn’t want us to do the games we committed to in August, we just want them to let us know in writing so we can have it on file to show advertisers when they want to know why we’re not doing the games we promised them.”

Duff said he was promised a written response two weeks ago, but was still waiting for it Wednesday afternoon. Beardsley said he had one, but hadn’t sent it out yet.

“Part of the reason we went with WABI was WZON was becoming the voice of the University of Maine,” said Beardsley. “We appreciate what WZON has done for us, but this is a chance for us to have somebody be the voice of Husson College.”

Beardsley said he felt the WABI deal was better for Husson because Husson’s games are a programming staple on WABI, rather than an add-on to WZON’s schedule.

“We’re going to try and make amends with WZON. We’re still advertising with them and there are plenty of other games they could do,” said Beardsley. “We want to be on good terms with everyone.”