West Virginia University’s attorney says the university has suspended its Request for Proposals process in the granting of third-tier media rights to IMG College.
WVU General Counsel Bill Hutchens sent a letter to Morgantown businessman John Raese Tuesday saying the university has received Raese’s letters and is looking into his concerns about the process.
“West Virginia University is considering your communication as a complaint or protest regarding procurement activities,” Hutchens wrote.
Hutchins later wrote.
“During review, WVU is suspending the current RFP process in Request for Proposals.”
Raese, the owner of West Virginia Radio Corp. which has distributed Mountaineer football and basketball broadcasts for decades, wrote letters expressing concern about how the third-tier rights were being bid out and the relationship between WVU Board of Governors Chairman Drew Payne, IMG and West Virginia Media, which has also been part of the negotiations.
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Comments
Charles
Somebody tell him to quit messing up things in the mountain state. Quit crying over spilt milk. The old boy network and Eddie p is over. He made his millions off wvu, now let wvu make some. Just stay in Florida and leave us alone. He is just wanting his money for free still
February 20, 2013 at 9:26 am | Report comment
John
WVU must follow state procurment procedures. Its the law!
February 20, 2013 at 9:49 am | Report comment
Brian
He is absolutely right. There is an appearance of impropriety with Drew Payne seemingly on more than one roster in this game.
February 20, 2013 at 9:54 am | Report comment
Dan1658
The issues that concern me is if IMG wins the bid we will lose the great announcers for games. These guys are true Mountaineers and part of school history. Also the the clause that will require the network to broadcast a certain amount of Pitt and Marshall games. Any of this happens and I will never listen to another broadcast of a Mountaineer sporting event done by this company and will not support any business advertising on these broadcasts.
February 20, 2013 at 10:15 am | Report comment
Uncle Fester
WVU can do alot better than Tony Caridi and Dwight Wallace for radio announcers for football and Tony Caridi and Jay Jacobs for basketball. A lot!!! Wallace and Jacobs are about as boring as boring gets. Caridi is too arrogant. None of those three are West Virginians. Caridi is an arrogant New Yorker and a Syracuse grad, of all things. I'd rather be waterboarded than have to listen to those three.
February 20, 2013 at 11:10 am | Report comment
Charleston,WV
Speak for yourself! It amazes me that some of our state natives believe that you must be a West Virginian, "born and raised" to embrace our state and call it their home. TC, JJ, and DW always provide wonderful insight and capture the moment during most, if not all, Mountaineer venues. Who cares where they came from, but rather how the represent our state and flagship university. I'll be the first to pour water over your head sir......but I'll make it quick. ;)
February 20, 2013 at 11:40 am | Report comment
JBWV
Not West Virginians? Dwight is from White Sulphur Springs, and Jay played ball for Morgantown High School. So only "bred and born" West Virginians should be on the TV or radio talking about WVU? What kind of hick-ville thinking is this? So the new media company is hiring only West Virginians to broadcast WVU games? Oh, and you've never been waterboarded obviously if you think that would be better than listening to Tony, Dwight or Jay.
February 20, 2013 at 4:44 pm | Report comment
John
At the same time you defend them being West Virginians, you then turn an insult West Virginians by calling us hick-ville? Your logic is highly flawed.
February 20, 2013 at 7:10 pm | Report comment
JBinWV
John, you may think my thinking is "flawed" but the point is this is stupid "must be born here" to qualify logic being used to say Dwight, Jay and Tony are not West Virginians and aren't qualified to broadcast WVU games. That is indeed "hick-ville" thinking. Much as your spelling is pretty "hick" (it's "and", not "an").
February 21, 2013 at 9:46 am |
RealFan05
Are you kidding? I have traveled all over the country following the Mountaineers and I have had the privilege of listening to many different sportscasters all over the country and I have to tell you that TC is one of the best. Clearly the namesake of the bumbling fool Uncle Fester suits you well.
February 20, 2013 at 6:17 pm | Report comment
Sherry
Don't know about the others, but Jay Jacobs grew up in Morgantown & played basketball at WVU. Let's keep this factual.
February 21, 2013 at 12:26 am | Report comment
Will
As I understand it, Raese's company has never had a contract with WVU. WVU does NOT pay WV Radio any money for producing and distributing MSN. Actually WV Radio paid WVU a rights fee to have the Coaches programs. The articles you've been reading about this big "lucrative" contract WV Radio had are not true. Of course WV Radio makes money when they carry the games on their stations and sell advertising inside the games but that is the exact opportunity that every radio station in WV has that airs MSN. This imaginary lucrative contract that the media and Mr. Payne reference does not exist and never did. They are using that as a way to deflect the attention away from the real issue. Mr. Payne is the President of the WVU Board of Governors AND an investor in WV Media......a partner with the winning bidder. If you think that's coincidence, you better dig a little more
February 20, 2013 at 10:23 am | Report comment
cutty77
Nobody has robbed WVU more Than Raese has.Mike Garrison was going end Raese Relationship too,and you saw what WV Radio did to Him.Nothing going to change on this AT ALL.Raese will never have control over WVU again.Thank Goodness for that.If i was President Of WVU Raese would have to buy a ticket to get into the parking lot.And His Brother owns the Morgantown paper.Mayberry RFD at its Best.
February 20, 2013 at 10:14 pm | Report comment
JBinWV
This is the same Mike Garrison who oversaw the fake degree for Joe Manchin's daughter right? Just so we're clear on who you're supporting here....
February 21, 2013 at 9:51 am | Report comment
cutty77
No it is not. It started under David Hardesty.Mike had to deal with it.Joe Asked David To step Down for some Odd reason.
February 21, 2013 at 1:31 pm | Report comment
cutty77
Will why don't you tell us How us Much WV Radio has made off WVU,or Better yet tell us what They paid WVU? Nobody knows,well i will take that back they know now.Please don't take up for Raese and his radio stations.This was THE BIGGEST HIEST SINCE THE BRINKS ROBBERY.
February 21, 2013 at 1:37 pm | Report comment
Bill 1978
WVU is a sham- it should be worried about the sobriety of it's coaches then divving up the spoils of this great new media pie of athletics. Wow we lose millions of dollars send kids all over the country to play, fire coaches, pretend to be players on a national stage and we fight over provincial pieces of the pie. Maybe we should spend more effort on creating an excellent eductional environment. Raese should have spent his energy on better campaigning and less on his inherited kingdom.
February 20, 2013 at 11:00 am | Report comment
John
Marshall Sucks, get it over it.
February 20, 2013 at 7:11 pm | Report comment
Hillbilly
It's all about the money..or lack of it. Selling beer at the games, charging $20 to park at the coliseum for a BB game, increased ticket prices, its all about covering the exhorbitant coaches salaries and $millions to change to Big 12. Now athletics is millions in the red. Where I work at WVU we are not allowed to take even a free lunch or a hat to avoid appearances of improprieties, but the same WVU is trying to allow the same guy on its board to be also on the media company board. Jim Clements, are you listening? Or are you just the pot calling the kettle black??
February 20, 2013 at 1:46 pm | Report comment
David
This is the same Rease, that during his Senate run, and his debate at Shepherd University, wanted to get rid of the EPA, Department of Education, end regulation of electricicity, oil, and gas, and many more. He is a money hungry GOP member, I just come to this site to get a laugh at all the GOP crap they sling.
February 20, 2013 at 2:30 pm | Report comment
JBinWV
Yeah, that EPA, Dept of (re)-Education, etc. are doing wonders for this state and country aren't they? You may not like John Raese because he inherited money but he's a far, far cry better than sell out Joe Manchin. Talk about a guy who ran WVU, he's as much a part of the WVU mess as the others people have been railing on here. PS Guard your guns, Washington Joe and his pal Obama are coming for them.
February 21, 2013 at 9:49 am | Report comment
John
Keep bashing the GOP, yet you idiots forge that West Virginia has been under Democratic rule for 80 years, and wow we have gone really far nder Dem leadership now have we!!!!!
February 20, 2013 at 7:13 pm | Report comment
Daren
Raese comes across as a jilted lover. He lost the bid, get over it
February 21, 2013 at 7:57 am | Report comment
Tom
I am suprised Rease has not ran any of his stupid ads claiming that IMG is a rubber stamp for Obama.
February 21, 2013 at 8:13 am | Report comment
Charles
Img has no history of changing on air personalities. Where do people come up with this crap! Just check mu. When img took over it changed nothing. They are buying a brand and are not interested in messing up a brand that people identify with.
February 21, 2013 at 9:07 am | Report comment
Charleston,WV
That's probably true but only anecdotal to this situation. In other words, it's yet to be determined. I hope you're correct though, because I do appreciate the work of the MSN crew has done over the years!
February 21, 2013 at 11:27 am | Report comment