Switching game day prompts $10,000 in ticket refunds

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

The University of Hawai'i athletic department has issued about $10,000 in refunds to season ticket holders who cannot attend Friday's football game against 18th-ranked Fresno State.

•	Game facts What: College football, Hawai‘i vs. Fresno State. When: Friday, 4:05 p.m. Where: Aloha Stadium. Tickets: $19 sideline, $15 South end zone, $15 North end zone adult, $11 North end zone senior citizen (65-older), $11 North end zone students, $3 UH Super Rooter. Parking: $3. Gates open: 12:30 p.m. parking lot, 1 p.m. turnstile. TV: ESPN (live). Radio: KCCN (1420), 2:30 p.m.

UH officials reluctantly agreed to the switch when Western Athletic Conference officials insisted a rejection would jeopardize the league's negotiations with the sports cable network. Hours after UH accepted the move, the WAC and ESPN finalized terms on a three-year contract.

UH athletic director Hugh Yoshida said he has not received a crowd estimate. But with the kickoff in the heart of rush hour and ESPN showing the game live across the Islands, attendance is expected to be hurt.

"We hope we can have a good crowd," Yoshida said. "This is a game where we have an opportunity to be in the hunt for a WAC championship."

Yoshida said the Warriors usually gross more than $450,000 for a game at Aloha Stadium.

WAC commissioner Karl Benson said the league will pay UH an inconvenience fee of up to $100,000 for lost revenue. Yoshida said a formula has not been worked out to determine the financial impact of the date switch.

Yoshida said UH was unsuccessful in trying to force a delayed telecast in the Islands. The contract between the WAC and ESPN does not have a blackout clause. UH's share of the television deal is about $100,000 a year, no matter how many appearances it makes.

Also:

• Aloha Stadium gates will open at 12:30 p.m. and turnstiles at 1:30. But stadium spokesman Les Keiter said the stadium will adhere to its policy of setting the tailgate curfew eight hours after the gates open. For Friday's game, the curfew is 8:30 p.m.

• Radford High will open a parking section during school hours. The entire campus parking lot will be available after 3 p.m.

• TheBus Football Express route with direct service to Aloha Stadium will begin at 1 p.m. for Friday's game.

Fare is $3 one way, and is available from 16 locations around the island. Transfers, senior citizen, disabled, monthly, annual or other bus passes will not be accepted.

For more information on times and locations, call 848-5555 or go to www.thebus.org .