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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, September 16, 2003

UNLV officials expect near-capacity crowd

By Ferd Lewis and Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writers

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. — University of Nevada-Las Vegas officials, who had initially predicted a crowd of about 30,000 for Friday's football game with the University of Hawai'i, now say the attendance figures will be between 32,000 and 34,000.

As of yesterday afternoon, 28,350 tickets had been sold to the game in 36,800-seat Sam Boyd Stadium, according to Melissa Meacham, UNLV director of marketing.

Of those, she said 6,750 have already been sold directly through UH or the Boyd Gaming Group, which has sold or distributed packages to Hawai'i fans using its five Las Vegas hotels.

UNLV officials say it is difficult to determine how many tickets overall have gone to Hawai'i fans since other purchases were likely made through the Rebels' box office, online and phone outlets by some of the more than 25,000 transplanted Hawai'i residents living in the Las Vegas area.

The largest crowd for a UNLV home game was 42,075 in 2002 when extra seats were brought in to accommodate the estimated 15,000 to 20,000 Wisconsin fans.

Meacham said UNLV's upset of No. 14-ranked Wisconsin on Saturday in Madison has helped boost recent sales.

Still seeing red: As much as the University of Hawai'i football team might like to forget Saturday's 61-32 loss to Southern California, the Warriors' uniforms won't let them.

It seems some of the Warriors' uniforms absorbed so much of the cardinal coloring from the end zones and midfield areas of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum field that it has become tough to remove the stains.

Equipment manager Ken Fujimura said the USC equipment staff washed and cleaned the Warriors' uniforms after the game, but a handful that had more cardinal than the others have proved more difficult.

"They (USC) said they tried soaking them and a few other things but couldn't get it all out," Fujimura said.

He said he may have to take the uniforms to a dry cleaner this week.

Cost of travel: For their 10-day stay on the Mainland, the Warriors have brought approximately 3 1/2 tons of equipment and material, according to an Aloha Airlines representative.

For a single-game road trip, the Warriors usually take less than three tons. But because the Warriors have chosen to remain on the Mainland between the end of last Saturday's USC game and Friday's contest at UNLV, more supplies were involved.

The UH traveling party totals 93, including 63 players and 10 coaches, and support personnel and officials.

Laundry alone runs approximately $100 a day and can require the use of six or more 35-pound industrial washers and dryers, Fujimura said. On occasion, UH has found other schools at which to do or have their laundry done.

Even with the added expenses, athletic director Herman Frazier said the school will "save a significant amount of money" by remaining on the Mainland instead of returning home.

He said he did not immediately have a breakdown of how much will be saved, but said two plane trips would normally cost UH about $140,000.

Frazier said the decision, however, was based on "not wanting to have our team fly back on a Saturday night and then go right back up on Wednesday."

Head coach June Jones said, "if the (UNLV) game had remained on Saturday instead of being moved (for ESPN), we would have gone back home."

Out of focus: UH kicker Justin Ayat missed consecutive extra-point kicks after the Warriors' final two touchdowns in Saturday's game. "I was just lazy with my technique," he said. "When we were getting blown out, I wasn't as focused as usual. I'll get that corrected."

Injury updates: Defensive end Mel Purcell sat out yesterday's practice with what Jones said was a hyperextended elbow and remains doubtful for Friday's game. ... Leonard Peters worked out with a sling on his left shoulder. He said he hurt it in the second quarter of the USC game when "I landed on it the wrong way." As of yesterday, he could not lift the shoulder. "I hope I'll be able to lift it by game day," he said. He said he expects to play against UNLV.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8042.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8044.