Viewing Parties
* When: 7 p.m., Jan. 4.
* Who: The University of Southern
California vs. The University of Texas
* Where: Vernon’s, 1030 Third St.; Hooter’s, 4551 S.
Padre Island Drive; Wings ‘n’ More, 5990 S. Staples St.;
Paradise Pool and Billiards, 5141 Oakhurst Drive.
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Time Warner to local UT football fans: Game on
Cable
provider plans one of several parties to watch Rose Bowl
by
Beth Wilson, Corpus
Christi Caller~Times
December 23, 2005
Time Warner Cable is prepared to party for the Rose
Bowl, even if some viewers may not get the game on their home television.
KIII, the ABC affiliate that carries the college bowl
championship game Jan. 4, has threatened to pull its signal from local
cable providers Time Warner, Cable One and Charter Communications on Dec.
31 if it doesn't get a cash payment.
Time Warner's negotiations continue, and a positive
resolution is preferred, said Paula Smith, public affairs manager
for the cable company. But until then the company is making alternative
plans.
"Our concern is to make sure that our customers and
the community are experiencing as little inconvenience as possible should
KIII pull their signal off the Time Warner lineup and, of course, we want
to celebrate camaraderie of the community along with all the other UT
fans in the Corpus Christi area," she said.
To that end, four viewing parties have been set up about
an hour before the 7 p.m. game Jan. 4 between the University of Southern
California and the University
of Texas. Four high-definition TVs will be given away and
donations will be taken for a scholarship
in connection with the local Texas
Exes, UT's
alumni group, which has about 7,500 members in the Coastal Bend.
Michael Carrizales, president of Texas
Exes in Austin, said the group already was planning a watch party
but worked with Time Warner to find a way for more people to watch the
game and raise money for scholarships.
"One of our biggest underlying notions is we want
to make sure every Texas
fan in Corpus Christi has the opportunity to watch the Rose Bowl," he
said.
Time Warner will match donations for scholarships from
the viewing parties to as much as $25,000, Smith said.
If KIII does not discontinue its signal, the parties
still are on.
Those cable customers who are too serious about their
game watching to be social can pick up AB/adapters, which allow viewers to
switch between cable and antenna signals to view the ABC affiliate for
free, beginning Dec. 26 at H-E-B grocery stores or the Time Warner offices
at 4060 S. Padre Island Drive.
KIII General Manager Dick Drilling did not return
phone calls Thursday.
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(Information courtesy of the Corpus
Christi Caller~Times.)
