UH premium fee hike likely

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

A committee's unanimous approval yesterday has all but assured an increase in the premium fee required to secure the best seats at University of Hawai'i football and Rainbow Wahine volleyball events this year.

The school's Board of Regents will vote on the fee increase at today's monthly meeting at Leeward Community College. Because there was no voiced opposition at yesterday's meeting of the board's Committee on Finance and Facilities, the proposal is expected to easily pass.

The increase, UH athletic director Herman Frazier told the regents, is part of his "fiscal-recovery plan" intended to reverse the athletic department's anticipated $1 million shortfall this fiscal year and eventually increase the operating budget by $3 million, to $20 million annually.

Frazier said the athletic department should earn an additional $400,000 to $500,000 from the fee increase in the first year of the three-year plan.

Last year, football season-ticket holders paid $25 to $50 on top of the face value of the season tickets. Season-ticket holders for Rainbow Wahine volleyball each paid a $40 premium fee. The proposal calls for the premium fee to jump to as much as $100 for the best football seats this year and up to $220 for the 2005 season.

Frazier said he plans to implement the new premium-fee prices, ranging from $25 to $100, for this year, while using the ensuing proposed price hikes as ranges. Frazier said the premium-fee prices for 2004 and 2005 "depend on the economy and how much I need ... to run our department and deal with the other challenges, like Title IX (and) facility improvements."

Frazier said renewal forms next month will be sent to season-ticket holders for football and women's volleyball. He also is looking into increasing the premium fee for winter and spring sports.

To help win the regents' approval, Frazier promised not to increase the face value of football tickets for this year. He also waived the premium fee for students' season tickets, gave faculty and staff a 50-percent discount on the going rate for a ticket, and cut ticket prices for seats in the North end zone.

Frazier announced a revised arrangement with Ahahui Koa Anuenue, UH's prime booster group, which will now handle most of the season-ticket sales. Frazier said revenue from pay-per-view football telecasts could increase by $400,000 to $700,000 in the "next couple of years."