Bowl TV ratings projected to rise

By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Staff Writer

The announcement of the National Football League's schedule for 2005 has given the Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl hope for a rise in its television ratings.

While the NFL will have 13 games on Saturday, Dec. 24, the penultimate weekend of the regular season and the day of the Hawai'i Bowl, the final three will start more than four hours before the bowl's 3:30 p.m. kickoff at Aloha Stadium.

"I think we have a lot of things coming together to make the (day) a success," said Jim Donovan, executive director of the game. "We have a Saturday, we have an early afternoon starting time and we won't be going up against any other football games." Donovan said he doubted the NBA would have a night game on Christmas Eve.

The combination, Donovan said, "will hopefully help us get more of the local fans and more of the people watching television on the Mainland, which will be good for the game and the state."

Last year, in its first Christmas Eve slot, the bowl had the highest rating in its three years, 1.95 million households. The announced attendance at Aloha Stadium was 38,322, also a high.

Since 1982, bowl games — Aloha, O'ahu and Hawai'i — here have traditionally been played on Christmas Day for the ratings they attract. But last year, when the NFL had a Christmas Day doubleheader, the bowl game moved to Christmas Eve.

The NFL will have two games on Christmas and one Dec. 26.

The Hawai'i Bowl is contracted to match representatives from the Western Athletic Conference and Conference USA. UH will be the WAC representative if the Warriors win a majority of their 12 regular-season games, officials have said.

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