University of Hawai'i football fans responded passionately yesterday when asked how they would cope with a proposed alcohol ban in the Aloha Stadium parking lot.

"No, no, no, no," Tenny Watson of 'Aiea said about drinking water, soda or juice instead of beer. "It doesn't go with poke. It doesn't go with oysters. It doesn't go with clams. It doesn't go with babyback ribs. It doesn't go with hamburgers. It doesn't go with anything else. We're here to pupu and drink beer."

The Aloha Stadium Authority this month approved a recommendation to ban beer and alcohol consumption in the stadium's 8,000-stall parking lot before, during and after regular-season collegiate sporting events. The proposed ban is on track to be enforced at UH football games in 2006. A public hearing will be scheduled next month.

Many tailgaters at yesterday's UH game against Utah State said the proposal would ruin tailgating tradition, increase alcohol smuggling, decrease attendance, and punish law-abiding tailgaters for the misbehavior of a few.

"They're killing the tailgating, and that's what we come here for," said Watson, who has enjoyed tailgating at Aloha Stadium for 10 years. "Otherwise, we would go across the street to our cousins' house, and they agreed to get pay-per-view, and we'll tailgate there. For us, it would be much better and cheaper. We can go there, party and have all the beer we want."

Watson wondered if enforcement patrols would "confiscate" violators' alcohol; other tailgaters worried the ban would lead to a spike in alcohol prices inside the stadium.

But some said the proposal was too weak, and that a total ban, including no alcohol sales inside the stadium, would send a stronger message.

Other tailgaters were rebellious.

"Ninety-nine percent of us are responsible and don't cause any problems, so why penalize us?" said Michael Sadd of Hawai'i Kai. "Probably, if they do put the ban in, we'll continue to drink, we'll just conceal it."

AIONA LED CAMPAIGN

Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona has spearheaded the alcohol ban and called it a "monumental statement" for public safety and curbing underage drinking and alcohol-related misbehavior at the stadium. Aiona said UH fans can still enjoy tailgating without the alcohol.

"I think for the people who have alcohol as a main dish, it will impact them," said Aiona in an earlier interview. "You can still tailgate at Aloha Stadium. The menu item that is going to be deleted is alcohol, but other than that, I think all the main items are going to be there — the teriyaki chicken, and the meat, the musubis and everything else."

Aiona added, "The fun and the laughter can still be there."

Keith Takeda of Pearl City said the proposal would hurt attendance. Except for the Sept. 3 USC game, Hawai'i has not drawn more than 26,000 to a home game this season.

"People are looking for any reason not to go to the game, more than reasons to go to the game," Takeda said. "With this proposed alcohol ban, I can see that affecting those people, and people jumping off the bandwagon. They'll stay at home and drink in the garage with the pay-per-view."

KFVE is paying UH $1.7 million annually for the right to televise UH sports, including football, for the next three years. The money is split between the station and UH, but the terms have not been disclosed.

Takeda also feared a spike in the price of alcohol inside the stadium (currently $5 and up) if the ban goes into effect, saying "what's to say the stadium is not going to raise the price of beer, which is already expensive as it is."

Not all spectators were against the proposal. Andrew Chun, of Hilo, attended the game with his sons, Daniel, 12, Matthew, 9, and his father.

CHANGE OF HEART

"Twenty years ago, I probably would have answered on the other side, but being that I'm a father ... now, I support the ban in the parking lot," said Chun, 41, who attends about once a season.

"This is an event I can bring my children to, and I would like them to enjoy it in a way that's free of those negative outcomes," he said. "In the past few years, I've seen the rowdiness on TV. It's too negative. I don't agree with it."

Reach Brandon Masuoka at bmasuoka@honoluluadvertiser.com.