2007 UH football schedule nearly set
By Stephen Tsai and Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Staff Writers
The University of Hawai'i should be able to announce its long-awaited football schedule this week, possibly as soon as tomorrow, and will immediately tie it in with a stepped-up season ticket campaign, school and conference officials said yesterday.
Western Athletic Conference commissioner Karl Benson said the conference is waiting for the schedules of three schools to be finalized. Benson said he was asked to hold three UH dates — Sept. 1, Sept. 8 and Nov. 24 — open while the conference is also waiting on one game each from Boise State and Idaho.
As late as last week Southern California and Michigan were still possibilities for UH, which will play a 13-game regular season schedule. But UH athletic director Herman Frazier said Michigan, which had initiated contact, has since broken off talks.
Frazier said UH may have to go on the road for one of the three remaining games and another will be against a Division I-AA opponent.
The conference office has been in discussion with the schools and ESPN since the network tendered its "wish" list of games Feb. 1.
John McNamara, UH associate athletic director, said once the conference schedule is finalized the school will announce a "ramped up" plan for season ticket sales to capitalize on the surge in interest from an 11-3 finish and return of quarterback Colt Brennan.
"We're responding to what a lot of people wanted," McNamara said.
McNamara said the new plan will speed up by "as much as three or four weeks" compared to the previous process. In recent years renewals have begun in late March or April and sales to new customers haven't begun until June. McNamara said UH plans to begin renewals later this month. He said current season ticket holders would still be the first accommodated under the new plan.
If the football ticketing plan works out, McNamara said, "it is something we will potentially integrate with some of our other sports if there is a demand when they are coming off a great season."
Reach Stephen Tsai at stsai@honoluluadvertiser.com and Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com.
