TV games could rake in cash for ISU

AMES - Win or lose, football season is shaping up to be a profitable one at Iowa State.

The Cyclones have two early moneymaking television games set and could be in line for several more with dates against preseason top 10 teams Texas and Oklaho­ma and a non-conference game against Utah at Jack Trice Stadium.

The seven-game home schedule includes Nebraska's final Big 12 Conference appearance in Ames, Texas Tech and outspoken Coach Tommy Tuberville, and a Sept.

25 night game against Northern Iowa, which is always heavily attended.

Between television opportunities and a home slate full of quality op­ponents, ISU could see a nice revenue bump this year.

'I'm not going in it thinking it's going to be a huge windfall, but we could see an increase there's no question,' said senior associate athletics director Steve Malchow. 'The opportunity is there. Our schedule is attractive.' ISU's Sept. 11 game at Iowa will be shown on either ABC or ESPN2.

A non-conference game picked for ABC this season would net the athletics department a projected $640,000. Non-Big 12 games on ESPN's networks would be an estimated $360,000.

The Cyclones' game the following week against Kansas State at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City is set for a national Fox Sports Net broadcast, which means a $180,000 payday.

The Sept. 2 season opener at home against Northern Illinois was picked for TV but will not earn ISU any money since it will not be shown on an upper tier of the Fox Sports networks.

Fox Sports Midwest, Fox Sports Southwest and Comcast Chicago will carry the 7 p.m. game.

Home games mean roughly $800,000 to $1 million in revenue for ISU.

Conference games are chosen by the networks during the season.

ISU should profit from having Oklahoma, Texas and Nebraska on its schedule. Those schools are regulars for regional ABC television games, ones that would net ISU $320,000.

A conference game on one of the Big 12's cable partners - ESPN, Fox Sports Net or Versus - is worth $180,000.

Schools in the Big 12 do not share all their television revenue. Those who make more appearances are rewarded, unlike the Big Ten, which shares its television money equally. 'There can be some up years because of how the revenues are distributed right now,' Malchow said. 'There's fluctuation every year. ... The one item we control more than anything is having a good football team.' The Cyclones have home games against Kansas and Missouri and make their final trip to Boulder, Colo., before Colorado jumps to the Pac-10 Conference. It is the Buffs' second-to-last home game as a member of the Big 12, possibly one desirable for broadcast.

'Ultimately, we want as many games on TV as we can get, because it's exposure and people get to see your program,' Malchow said.