TV Contract for Bowl Game Could Be Riding on Ratings

The first CIF/Reebok Bowl has yet to be played, but already officials are unsure of the game’s future.

Although the Southern and City sections recently signed a five-year contract with KCOP-TV, Channel 13, to match their large-division football champions at Anaheim Stadium, the contract has an escape clause and the bowl could end if attendance is small and television ratings low.

The bowl, the first of its kind since the two sections split in 1934, has an attractive matchup. Top-ranked La Puente Bishop Amat (14-0), the Southern Section Division I champion, takes on No. 3 Sylmar (13-0), the City Division 4-A titlist, Friday night at 7:30.

Since there is no state playoff system, a game of this sort has been in the talking stages for years. When Channel 13 saw an opportunity to showcase such an event and make some money, it approached the CIF.

“We do a lot of specials, and our interest becomes greater in something if it can become an annual event,” said Peter Schlessinger, the station’s executive producer. “This game is something the CIF has wanted for a long time, and we feel there is an audience there for it.”

The game will be shown live, replacing the regular Friday night movie programming. Schlessinger said a movie usually draws a 4-6 rating, “and we expect the game to do as well, if not better.”

The bowl, which will be up against the King-Edmonton hockey game on Channel 5, is one of many sports events the station covers. Schlessinger said the interest got rolling in this area with the success of its L.A. Marathon coverage and has continued with the televising of various Clipper games.

Channel 13 paid $50,000 for the rights to the bowl game, which will be split among the two sections and the participating schools. Each school is guaranteed at least $12,000, which could increase with a big crowd.

Randy Rosenbloom will handle play-by-play and Ron Glazer color commentary. The station will have five announcers, nine cameras and four tape machines.

Schlessinger declined to comment on how much it costs to show such an event, but said, “It is considerably more expensive than regular programming.”

Mark Paredes, Bishop Amat’s coach, said his school considered declining an invitation to the bowl game a few weeks ago. Assistants Joe Rodger and Glenn Martinez both attended City schools and weren’t sure if they wanted to coach against a City team. Paredes also felt a 15th game might be stretching the season too long.

“Then I got to thinking about what a historic game this was, and I decided our school should welcome an opportunity to participate in such an event,” Paredes said. “I went to the first Super Bowl with my dad at the Coliseum, and even though it didn’t sell out, I knew then it was a historic event. This bowl game might turn into something really big.”

If nothing else, the bowl will give Bishop Amat players a second chance to play at Anaheim Stadium. The Lancers were scheduled to play Loyola there last Friday for the Division I championship, but the game was moved to Cerritos College earlier in the day because of rain.

If it rains again late this week, Anaheim Stadium officials could move the game again. This is done to protect the field for the Rams.

High school football championship games at large stadiums are becoming a thing of the past, but that is not necessarily bad news.

The City, which for years held its large-division title game at the Coliseum, can no longer afford the stadium’s $25,000 rental fee. The Division 4-A championship game has been held at El Camino College in Torrance the last couple of seasons. El Camino, which holds 12,000, costs a fraction of what the Coliseum does.

The Southern Section might even consider moving its Division I showcase game from Anaheim Stadium to a smaller college stadium, like Cerritos or Mount San Antonio. Anaheim, which cost $30,000, is a problem because stadium officials can call off the game in case of rain.

Smaller college stadiums are not only cheaper to rent, they provide a more exciting atmosphere. Instead of playing in a stadium where there are 40,000 empty seats, teams can play in front of a packed house.

Many Los Alamitos fans booed after their team tied Anaheim Esperanza, 14-14, Saturday night in the Southern Section Division II championship at Cerritos College. Apparently, they wanted overtime.

The Southern Section council did away with overtime after Orange El Modena and Santa Ana Foothill complained about playing an extra period in their Southern Conference title game in 1981.

“I was at that game, and I remember at the end of regulation that coaches from both teams said they were satisfied with a tie,” said Bill Clark, the section’s football administrator. “I told them it was not their choice, and we would play overtime because that was the rule. The rule changed the following year.”

Foothill went on to win the game, 35-28.

After 13 games, it seems a shame to end the season in a tie. It seems no one was satisfied with the outcome Saturday night.

“It’s anticlimactic,” said Tim Carey, Los Alamitos’ quarterback.

Prep Notes

John Brennan has resigned as football coach at Long Beach Wilson. He guided the Bruins to the Southern Section playoffs the last four years, including a trip to the semifinals last season. Brennan has been replaced by defensive coordinator J.C. Clarke. . . . Running back Jeff Byrd of Garden Grove Rancho Alamitos ended his spectacular high school career on a losing note. The senior rushed for 190 yards Friday in a 14-13 loss to Fullerton Sunny Hills in the Division VII championship. Byrd set Orange County records for single-season rushing, 2,596 yards, and career points (404). . . . The Times will run separate boys’ and girls’ basketball previews next week, along with polls. Weekly polls, rating the top 20 teams in the City and Southern sections, will begin in early January.

Times’ Top 20 Football Poll

The Times’ top 20 high school football poll, with teams from the City and Southern Sections.

School Sect. Div. Rec. LW 1. Bishop Amat SS I 14-0 1 2. Los Alamitos SS II 13-0-1 2 3. Sylmar City 4-A 13-0 9 4. Esperanza SS II 12-1-1 3 5. Loyola SS I 12-2 4 6. Muir SS II 11-2 5 7. Irvine SS IV 13-1 8 8. Fontana SS I 11-2 6 9. Eisenhower SS I 10-2-1 7 10. Hawthorne SS III 12-2 11 11. Cres. Valley SS II 11-2 12 12. Hart SS II 11-1 13 13. Servite SS II 9-2-1 14 14. Sunny Hills SS VII 12-1-1 NR 15. Mater Dei SS I 9-2-1 17 16. Bell Gardens SS III 12-2 15 17. San Pedro City 3-A 12-1-1 20 18. Norco SS V 14-0 NR 19. Ran. Alamitos SS VII 10-3 10 20. Valencia SS VI 11-1-1 NR