UM hoop squads to get increased TV time

When it comes to a television presence in central and eastern Maine, the University of Maine’s flag-bearer is the hockey team, but viewers shouldn’t feel the need to shed any tears for the men’s and women’s basketball teams.

With the start of their regular seasons looming in two weeks, both teams will get a bit more TV time this season from local as well as regional stations and networks.

Men’s and women’s games will appear on Bangor CBS affiliate WABI (Channel 5), ABC affiliate WVII (Ch. 7), Fox affiliate WFVX (Ch. 22), and New England Sports Network.

WABI is airing UMaine sports for a seventh straight season through its current three-year deal with the university, which is in its second year. WABI will air one men’s game (Binghamton at Maine at 1 p.m. Feb. 8) and is still looking at adding a men’s and-or women’s game into its 16-game broadcast schedule.

“They’d like us to do a women’s game as well, but it’s just a tough situation with many of them happening at the wrong time,” said WABI program director Steve Hiltz. “Their games are primarily on Thursday and Sunday and Sundays are always in conflict with NFL, while I have to save our primetime lineup on Thursday. Not only would CBS be unhappy with us, but so would the sponsors waiting in line to get spots on there.”

WVII is back in the mix for the fifth time in seven years after signing on with the America East Conference, which is producing its own 24-game telecast slate. WVII and sister station WFVX will combine to do three basketball games – one men’s and two women’s, all involving Maine. The stations also have the first option to televise the men’s and women’s conference tournament semifinals and the women’s championship game.

“We’ll wait and see on the playoff games before we commit to them because we’d like to know which teams will be involved,” said WVII general manager Mike Palmer. “Depending on who those teams are, we’ll be interested.”

This is the second straight year WVII has entered into a partnership with America East for Maine telecasts. America East and MBC Teleproductions of Allentown, Pa., will produce and distribute the games for a fourth straight season.

The games on WVII are Stony Brook at Maine men on Sunday, Jan. 4, and Maine at Hartford women Saturday, March 6 (times TBA). WFVX will air a 7 p.m. Boston University at Maine women’s game on Wednesday, Jan. 21.

“We’re excited about it and we’re glad to put them on both stations,” Palmer said. “The conflicts with Fox Sports are minimal. There are no NASCAR or NFL conflicts with these games, which makes it even better.”

There are conflicts with NCAA basketball and professional golf, but given the fact that the broadcasts involve UMaine sports and occur only three times during the winter season, WVII officials felt the game broadcasts were well worth taking.

The Stony Brook-Maine men’s game and Boston University-Maine women’s telecasts are being carried by NESN as well, but they likely will be blacked out and aired only on WVII and WFVX to comply with cable TV exclusivity rules.

Hiltz said having another Bangor station pick up Maine basketball games is good for local viewers.

“We’re going to be booked up pretty hard during that time., so it’s fine if they do the games,” Hiltz said. “We don’t find it to have any negative impact on us and we’re OK with that.”

NESN is airing 12 America East regular season telecasts and all five playoff games.

Andrew Neff can be reached at 990-8205, 1-800-310-8600, or aneff@bangordailynews.net