Chambers Communications Corp. and Oregon State University reached an agreement Tuesday ensuring Saturday’s 12:30 p.m. Civil War showdown will be shown on KEZI-TV, ending speculation the game wouldn’t be aired locally for the first time in five years.
The two sides — in disagreement over who would call the game — finally settled on neutral announcers.
“We are very pleased that this game is going to be available to our viewers,” said Scott Chambers, president of Chambers Communications.
After what appeared to be a standoff, OSU finally backed down Tuesday after the two sides publicly released letters addressed to each other. Both
organizations blamed the other,
alleging that neither was willing
to compromise.
“It is an ABC television broadcast,” Chambers told OSU Director of Athletics Bob De Carolis in a fax. “Because KEZI is the producer of this game, we are responsible for what goes on the air. It is unreasonable for Oregon State to dictate the announcers for this telecast, and it is our First Amendment right to choose our station voices.”
The game, however, is being played in Corvallis, which prompted De Carolis to request a Beaver-branded broadcast booth.
“It is our position, along with the Pac-10 Conference, that Oregon State is the television rights-holder,” De Carolis said in a letter to Chambers. “We disagree … that KEZI is the producer of the game … Oregon State has the rights to the game and therefore would contract for production.”
KEZI countered Monday, offering to split air time between its regular Duck personalities and OSU’s announcers. KEZI also suggested neutral announcers call the game.
OSU rejected both options until Tuesday.
Now, with the agreement in place, fans will be able to see the game instead of ABC’s scheduled contest featuring UCLA and USC.
“If they didn’t resolve it,” University junior Paul DiGregorio said, “I would have been ticked.”