Posted on: Wednesday, June 11, 2003

Hawai'i Bowl will lose title sponsor

By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Staff Writer

The year-old Hawai'i Bowl will continue despite the impending loss of title sponsor ConAgra Foods, officials said yesterday.

"We have been notified that ConAgra has a different set of goals for their marketing money and may not be back with us on the Hawai'i Bowl sponsorship," said Pete Derzis, vice president of ESPN Regional Television (ERT), which operates the game.

Regardless of whether another sponsor is found in time for the nationally televised Dec. 25 game at Aloha Stadium, the Hawai'i Bowl will "absolutely go on," Derzis said.

ConAgra's annual sponsorship was valued at "mid-six figures," Derzis said.

The University of Hawai'i is guaranteed a berth in the game for a second consecutive year as long as the Warriors win seven or more of their 13 games to become bowl-eligible. In addition, bowl officials have said the game would likely "protect" UH in the future as long as the Warriors meet bowl qualifications.

ConAgra officials declined comment but recent developments suggest changes in management might be responsible for a new direction. Tim McMahon, who as senior vice president of corporate communications and marketing announced the original three-year Hawai'i Bowl deal in 2002, is no longer with ConAgra.

Recently, the No. 2 food producer in the country has added significantly to its NASCAR sponsorship in what trade publications have termed "multi-million dollar" deals.

The potential change comes despite a better-than-expected debut by the Hawaii'i Bowl. The game drew more than 2.1 million households on ESPN, nearly matching the combined audiences of the Western Athletic Conference's two other postseason games. In addition, it paid participating conferences, the WAC and Conference USA, $118,000 each above the expected $750,000 minimum.

"We had a great first year and, like most bowls, we'll face our share of challenges, but I continue to be bullish about our future," said Jim Donovan, the game's executive director.

Derzis said ERT is "optimistic" about finding a replacement in time for the game. "The Hawai'i Bowl generates incredible value for the title sponsor and we would expect some great value for the successor," Derzis said.

The Hawai'i Bowl last year filled the void left by the departure and subsequent demise of the Aloha and O'ahu bowls after the 2000 season. UH's bowl-less plight after a 9-3 finish in 2001 led school and conference officials to begin the process that eventually brought about the Hawai'i Bowl.