Super Bowl Off The Air

[mel]

All I remember of this was that it occurred around 1986 or 1988. It was during the live Super Bowl football game broadcast. I can't even remember what teams were in the Super Bowl.

What made this particular Super Bowl memorable for nearly everyone in Hawaii is that for more than half the game, nobody saw it. The TV broadcast airing that year on KGMB TV Channel 9 (CBS) was knocked off the air.

People were very, very upset that day. The biggest game of the football season and most of it was lost to "snow".... no broadcast signal from KGMB and the cable companies that relayed the game.

I remember being at home and was disappointed that the game was off. I can't remember if the outage impacted other local TV channels... I recall it did not.

Nevertheless the outage became a major news item that night and the next day and on to the week. The funny thing is that KGMB TV News had to cover a "bad news" story in which they were the subject of. I remember one of their news reporters stating on the air that they were not very welcome to bars or homes where they were seeking comment from disappointed fans.

The following year the Super Bowl was simultaneously aired on the next broadcast channel and network that carried the game as well as on one of Oceanic's channels with special permission.

Anyone want to chime in on this infamous day in local broadcast history?

[helen]

Re: Super Bowl Off The Air

My dad not being a sports fan kind of surprised me by giving me a call on that day and asked me what happen to KGMB as he was watching the Super Bowl. I suppose he was watching with other relatives at the time.

I wasn't watching the game at all on that day, I can't remember what I was doing at the time other than being at home.

[Kalihiboy]

Re: Super Bowl Off The Air

This happened I believe during the January 1987 Superbowl between the Giants and Broncos. I am now looking at Superbowl XX in January 1986 when the Bears won it all and it was taped off of local tv so it must have been the following year.

KalihiBoy

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Super Bowl Off The Air

KGMB used to have a back up transmitter with this huge glass electron tube in an airconditioned cubical. You could tell when KGMB switched to the back up when the broadcast resumed in Black and White.

Speaking of technical difficulties, it wasn't until years later as a teenager when I finally heard Classical Gas (by Apollo 100?) from beginning to end as KGMB used to use that song whenever they had Technical Difficulties.

That signage was actually a cardboard sign with a camera pointed at it...at least back in the 60's and early 70's.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Super Bowl Off The Air

I finally heard Classical Gas (by Apollo 100?) from beginning to end

Mason Williams had the original hit, and he wrote it - but I can't guarantee that was the version they used.

Locally, I know Peter Moon, Kimo Hussey & Wayne Takamine have recorded it, but those were in the '90s. Apollo 100 did it as well, but they were better known for "Joy" (based on Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring.")

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Super Bowl Off The Air

Mason Williams had the original hit, and he wrote it - but I can't guarantee that was the version they used.

Locally, I know Peter Moon, Kimo Hussey & Wayne Takamine have recorded it, but those were in the '90s. Apollo 100 did it as well, but they were better known for "Joy" (based on Bach's "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring.")

That's right! Mason Williams and yes it was his version that KGMB used. Apollo 100 did remake it but so far the best remake was from Mannheim Steamroller. Apollo 100 came out with some great stuff though back in the 70's.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Super Bowl Off The Air

but so far the best remake was from Mannheim Steamroller.

Agreed - because Mason Williams was playing it with them!

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Super Bowl Off The Air

Wow no wonder it was the best remake to me.

[Kalihiboy]

Re: Super Bowl Off The Air

Mason Williams was also a writer on the old Smothers Brothers Show with Steve Martin, Rob Reiner and a few others who were actually unknowns at the time.

I think Classical Gas went to number one on Billboard. Mason was performing the tune in concert up until a few years ago where he developed some problem with his hands that he no longer can perform. He has lived in the Eugene, Oregon area for many years.

I believe I have some of those station ID "We'll Be Back after technical difficulties". I think those ran throughout the 1970's.

KalihiBoy

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Super Bowl Off The Air

Mason Williams was also a writer on the old Smothers Brothers Show with Steve Martin, Rob Reiner and a few others who were actually unknowns at the time.
I think Classical Gas went to number one on Billboard. Mason was performing the tune in concert up until a few years ago where he developed some problem with his hands that he no longer can perform. He has lived in the Eugene, Oregon area for many years.

...where he has continued both musical and environmental projects. If you can ever hear his "Them Poems," they will crack you up.

Thank you, mel, for letting us hijack the thread to go so far off-topic. Slightly back on: ever heard the story of the AFL game between New York and Oakland that went to a commercial break...and never returned? With seven minutes left in the game, someone at NBC had decided that they were going to go to the network broadcast of "Heidi" at the top of the hour, no matter what. (November 1968, I think.) It led to a change in the way TV contracts for sporting events were written from then on.

[Media Guy]

Re: Super Bowl Off The Air

Now known as "The Heidi Bowl." Most of the country didn't get to see the ending: www.nfl.com/news/mostmemorable10.html

[Kalihiboy]

Re: Super Bowl Off The Air

I've got the ending of the Heidi game on film somewhere but havent had a chance to review it yet.

KalihiBoy