Could Warrior football fans have too many options?

By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Staff Columnist

Four years after the University of Hawai'i football team gave up the option offense, its fans are enjoying an option that might be unique in college sports.

When it comes to ways to watch Warrior football — free on cable, free same-day delayed, live pay-per-view, individual game tickets, season tickets etc. — perhaps nowhere else do fans have the array of options open to them as here.

It has been great for fans. But, as we're seeing, maybe not so good for UH.

With so many options available — and officials of the Pac-10 and Western Athletic Conference say they know of no other Division I-A school that offers as many choices — it really shouldn't be any wonder that UH is bracing for a hit on its season-ticket sales.

In a written release, UH associate athletic director Tom Sadler said the school is looking at "an eight percent reduction" — in season ticket renewals. Even after an upcoming call-back campaign to woo back fans who allowed their season tickets to lapse, UH officials are projecting non-renewals to be at least 2,000.

For a football team that returns the bulk of its firepower from a 10-4 team, was No. 2 in the nation in total offense, and features one of its better home schedules, that is a significant hit even with a slight rise in premium fees.

What the veritable smorgasbord of choices has done is encourage UH followers to be choosy in how they follow the Warriors.

This year, for example, choices include:

A) ESPN/ESPN2. Because as many as three home games — marquee opponents Fresno State, Alabama and Boise State — could end up as live telecasts on cable this year, partaking of nearly half the seven-game home schedule might require no more of a commitment than picking up the remote.

B) Same-night delayed television. If you don't mind waiting four hours, home games are free on K5, and the refrigerator is always handy. Whatever road games ESPN doesn't pick up, K5 will do live.

C) Pay-per-view. While there is nothing like actually being at the game, even with this year's price increase, it can be cheaper for an O'ahu family of two or more to stay home and watch than make the trek to Aloha Stadium. In addition, Oceanic's pay-per-view package offers choices of camera angles and replays.

D) Commercial establishments. For the price of just drinks or pupu, the game is available live at a number of restaurants and bars.

E) Individual game ticket. With a history of few sellouts, even last-minute arrivals can usually find tickets available, and the atmosphere is better than a living room. This year the price in some end zone locations has even dropped.

F) Season ticket. The most expensive option, but it ensures a ticket to every game in the same location and an atmosphere and familiarity not otherwise available. While it carries a premium charge of $25-$100 on top of the ticket's face value, a percentage of the fee may be tax deductible.

Of course, if UH is going to give its fans so many alternatives, then it also needs to develop new and better ways to make showing up at Aloha Stadium the preferred option.

Which also means, judging from the complaints UH officials say they receive, the school has to better address parking and security concerns to the satisfaction of its customers.

"I'm a sports nut, too, and I'm not sure I would fight some of those things people have to fight to go to the game," head coach June Jones said last season.

For all its success selling corporate sponsorships — and every game this season figures to again be attached to somebody — UH has done far too little to promote the sale of tickets to its games. In particular, it needs to better cultivate the family market and develop additional inducements for students.

A slump in season ticket sales could be proof that when it comes to offering its fans a variety of options, it is possible for UH to have too much of a good thing.