Lynch at Large

Some pain-in-the-rear-end outsider must be poking around in the private and sacrosanct dealings of the official professional state athletic franchise, the University of Arkansas Razorbacks.

What kind of infidel would question the divine appointments of broadcast contracts? The moral theology department at Arkansas Business reports.

UA Says No-bid ARSN Deal Not 'Out of the Ordinary'
By Nate Hinkel
6/22/2007 11:39:54 AM

While news reports on Friday said the University of Arkansas and KATV-TV, Channel 7, have reached an agreement in principal on who will be the next "Voice of the Razorbacks," at least one attorney says the longstanding contract in question might not be in line with state law.

The current agreement between the UA and KATV Television Inc. was secured through a request for proposal by KATV in 1995 but has not been put up for public bid since. By one insider’s estimate, that agreement will pay the athletic department nearly $1.5 million this year.

Here's the good part.

According to state regulations regarding contract extensions, only one extension may be granted and may not exceed the length of the original agreement. The original agreement between the UA and KATV was for four years, meaning the contract should have at least been placed out for bid before the 2002-2003 seasons.

Surely the legislature did not mean for anybody to be able to bid on Arkansas Razorback broadcasts? (just foolin' around.)