UH, C-USA team might lose money in Hawai'i Bowl game
By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Staff Writer
At least one and possibly both teams in the inaugural ConAgra Foods Hawai'i Bowl will lose money participating in the Christmas Day game, school and conference officials said.
University of Hawai'i athletic director Herman Frazier said he is "squeezing every penny" in an attempt to have the Warriors break even on their participation in the Dec. 25 game.
Meanwhile, Conference USA, which has a tie-in with the bowl and will be sending one of its representatives more than 4,000 miles, is expected to help subsidize whichever team the Warriors play.
"That would be my assumption," said Pete Derzis, senior vice president of ESPN Regional Television, which operates the game.
If Cincinnati beats East Carolina tonight in a national cable game from Greenville, N.C., on ESPN2, then Tulane will be the Warriors' opponent. Should East Carolina win, then South Florida will oppose UH.
Surveys have shown that in recent years at least half the schools participating in bowls lose money. But because bowl appearances provide validation and exposure to their member institutions, conferences want their teams in bowls regardless of whether they make money on the trip. Typically, conferences use proceeds from higher end bowls to help offset losses in minimum pay bowls.
Tulane is a C-USA member in football and would therefore qualify for help meeting its travel expenses and bowl obligations under conference shared bowl policy. South Florida, which is a charter member of C-USA in 18 sports but does not become a member in football until next year and does not share in football distributions, is expected to also receive some assistance.
A C-USA spokesman said the final details have yet to be worked out pending final bowl pairings and transportation costs.
Under NCAA rules, the bowl is required to pay each participating team a minimum of $750,000, money that actually goes directly to the conferences involved. Additional money could be made based upon attendance of the game.
From that payout, schools are responsible for their transportation, room, board and other expenses. Most schools, including UH, also give their coaching staffs a bonus of at least one month's salary for bowl game appearances.
In addition, C-USA's contract requires that it purchase 10,000 tickets, whether it has the fans who make the trip, and participate in sponsorships. CUSA and school officials said unused tickets would be distributed to youth groups and other organizations in Hawai'i.
Bowl and C-USA officials declined to say how much the total commitment would be but people in the bowl business have estimated it to be $800,000 or more.
Frazier said UH is not required to purchase a pre-determined block of tickets nor is it obligated to provide sponsorships.
Which is a good thing, because under Western Athletic Conference policy, UH receives $350,000 of the conference's $750,000 check plus all ground transportation expenses.
Still, Frazier said, it will be difficult for UH to make money on the deal. "We at least want to break even," he said. Frazier said he has already held several meetings with staffers in an attempt to pare down UH's budget for the game.
He said he will ask the WAC to review its bowl payout policy, saying a team that stays home for a bowl shouldn't have to be in danger of going in the red to do so.
