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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, August 19, 2008

UH pay-per-view revenue 15 percent ahead of last year

By Ferd Lewis
Advertiser Staff Writer

With 12 days to go before the University of Hawai'i's football opener, pay-per-view revenues are running approximately 15 percent ahead of the same point last year though the numbers of sales lag somewhat, people involved say.

The Warriors' Aug. 30 start at Florida also kicks off a 21-game all-sports package, the school's most extensive in the seven years of PPV offerings by UH, KFVE and Oceanic Time Warner Cable. Eleven of UH's 13 football games are included.

Currently, sales are running about $400,000 ahead of last year, said Norman Santos, vice president of operations for Oceanic. Total PPV revenues have averaged approximately $2.7 million in recent years, Santos said.

Key components in that rise are a hike in prices over last year and the popularity of a $99 UH football road package offered as an enticement to football season ticket holders who renewed by Aug 1.

Approximately 30 percent of the more than 6,900 ticket holders have taken advantage of the $99 offering, which includes five of UH's six road games, a spokesman said. The offer was a 65 percent savings over the regular fee. The other contest, Oct. 17 at Boise State, is scheduled for ESPN.

PPV revenue helps underwrite approximately 8.5 percent of UH's $29 million athletic department budget.

In other news, UH announced it has sold 25,360 season tickets heading into next week's opening of student sales. Last year, UH said it sold 22,975 season tickets, including approximately 1,000 to students.

UH is offering $30 season ticket packages to students that include a free Under Armour T-shirt with Manoa Maniacs logo.

Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@honoluluadvertiser.com.