Premium courtside seats a quick sell at UH arena
Advertiser Staff
The University of Hawai'i has nearly sold out its initial offering of courtside "high-roller" $2,500-a-season seats for men's basketball, officials said.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser
John McNamara, associate athletic director for external affairs, said all but two of the 44 front-row seats have been sold, resulting in $105,000 in new revenue. The seats are sold only in twos.
Bob Clarke watches the Rainbow Warriors from his front-row seat — which costs $2,500 a season — at the Stan Sheriff Center.
About half of the 20 seats in the second row, which are priced at $1,000, have also been sold.
The section, where patrons receive seat-side food and beverage service along with preferred parking, debuted with Tuesday night's season opener against Mississippi Valley State. Approximately 80 percent of the charge is tax deductible.
The practice of selling courtside seating at premium prices is common in college and professional athletics as teams search for additional revenue sources. Nevada-Las Vegas, with its so-called "Gucci Row," was among the schools pioneering the practice in the 1980s.
UH paid $250 for each of the black simulated leather front-row seats, officials said. The second row, which is currently using the standard arena folding chairs, will eventually convert to the simulated leather.
Vince Baldemore, executive director of 'Ahahui Koa Anuenue, the UH booster club that handles the ticketing, said officials are discussing offering the same program in other arena sports, including women's and men's volleyball, but no decision has been made.
Officials said owners of the seats got written guidelines on acceptable fan behavior. "Basically, they can't go on the court and are held to the same rules as any other fan as far as profanity or antagonizing the players," arena manager Rich Sheriff said. "They know if they cross the line as far as what their decorum is supposed to be they won't be invited back for the remainder of the season or be able to renew the following season."
In the wake of the riot that erupted during the Detroit Pistons-Indiana Pacers game Nov. 19, Sheriff said "we've renewed instructions to our staff to keep an eye on all the sections and people that may become intoxicated or antagonizing."
Sheriff said ushers and staff are briefed before the start of the season. But "any time you see something like that (the Pistons-Pacers melee) you always remind your people to stay on top of it because we want the fans to come here and enjoy the game."
