Decision to Broadcast Game Irks Mater Dei Official

Mater Dei Principal Pat Murphy is unhappy that Saturday’s Southern Section Division I football semifinal against Los Alamitos will be televised live by Fox Sports West 2.

But, Murphy said, there is nothing the school can do about it.

“[Section officials] said it is the contract that Fox can choose the games it wants for the playoffs,” Murphy. “And with the playoffs, the radio and television contracts are controlled by [the section]. The schools are not involved. We had no say.”

Murphy fears the live broadcast will limit the attendance at Edison Field. The last time the teams played there--the 1994 Division I semifinals--the teams drew 30,065. He said the section office receives 50% of the gate revenue, and the schools each receive 25%.

“[The section] made $150,000 from that game and each school made $75,000,” Murphy said. “I didn’t think this game would equal that, but I thought a chance of attracting at least 20,000. We still might. But any time there is live TV, it will hurt the gate.”

There are 30,000 tickets available for Saturday’s game. Part of Edison Field will be closed off, and all the seats will be along the third base side.

Joe Washington, operations manager for Fox Sports West, said the cable company decided in August to broadcast a Saturday semifinal game.

“We want to broadcast the best schools out there and this is the premier game,” Washington said.

“I don’t know if will hurt their gate because both schools have such strong followings. I think it’s such a great game, people will go.”

Fox Sports West 2 tried in September to broadcast the Mater Dei-Concord De La Salle game live. But Mater Dei controlled the broadcasting rights and elected to broadcast the game on tape delay.

A crowd of 20,781 attended that game.

Section assistant commissioner Bill Clark said the broadcast and the Wooden Classic basketball games, which start Saturday afternoon at the Pond, could affect the game attendance, but he could not predict to what extent.

“With playoff games they have the option of televising live or delayed. And they can pick the game they want,” Clark said.