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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, July 2, 2003

Hula Bowl's search for title sponsor continues

By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer

The 2004 Hula Bowl will be played Jan. 17 at Maui's War Memorial Stadium with or without a title sponsor, according to the president and owner of the college football all-star game.

"The last two years we did not have a title sponsor and we had a game," said Dick Schaller. "It could be done, but it's just better to have (a title sponsor) from a financial standpoint."

The game has been without a title sponsor since 2001 when Rivals.com, a sports Web site, announced that it was going out of business.

The sponsorship was worth about $500,000 to $600,000, Schaller said.

Schaller said if the Hula Bowl can't secure a title sponsor, a pool of sponsors will be sought to make up the difference.

"Instead of a $500,000 sponsor, we'll just look for several that would make up that amount," he said. "But we're looking for the 'big guy' if we can get him."

Schaller said the game has "close to 12 prospective sponsors" and that a title sponsorship could be secured within the "next 60 or 90 days."

The 2003 Hula Bowl was shown twice on ESPN, reaching nearly 900,000 homes, Schaller said. The game drew a crowd of a "little over 12,000" at War Memorial, whose seating capacity is a little less 20,000, he said.

"There's 27 or 28 bowl games now in addition to all-star bowl games, and most of them have title sponsors," Schaller said. "It's just a case of finding the right people and the right fit. We're not the only ones that are looking for a sponsorship. That's happening throughout the country, too."

The 2004 Hula Bowl will be played a month earlier on Jan. 17 to accommodate the schedules of coaches and players. The game was originally scheduled for Feb. 7, but concerns from coaches and players about recruiting and professional football workouts prompted the schedule change.

Last month, ConAgra Foods pulled out as title sponsor of the Hawai'i Bowl because it wanted to take a different marketing approach, but the game will be played at Aloha Stadium on Dec. 25, according to a Hawai'i Bowl official.

• Camping on Maui: A football camp for high school players, organized by Hula Bowl Maui, is scheduled for July 7-11 at War Memorial athletic complex and Baldwin High School on Maui.

The camp will feature coaches from the University of Hawai'i, University of Colorado and San Jose State, according to Hula Bowl officials.

Cost is $150 per player, which includes six practice sessions, six meals, two tickets to the 2004 Hula Bowl and a camp T-shirt.

For more information, call (808) 874-9500 or e-mail jw@hulabowlmaui.com.