MONEY makes the world go around. Especially the world of sports. Winning the only
solution for UH’s woesWhile we are quick to give athletes a hand, there are times when athletics need a helping hand. That's why University of Hawaii athletic officials are also out there, hat in hand.
Nobody likes to beg. But, brother, can you spare a dime for the Rainbows?
With the state's economy as bad as it is, everybody's in the same austerity lifeboat, struggling to stay afloat. Even the state's only Division I sports program.
"They're not in a unique position from anybody else. We have more needs than tax dollars available," said Sen. Mike McCartney, aware of the fiscal problems of the UH athletic department.
"I'm very supportive of them. But we need to dialogue more rather than talk about worst-case scenarios," added McCartney, who had headed the senate education committee before becoming majority co-leader.
Athletics director Hugh Yoshida, who said his department expected a half-million dollar shortfall, presented a worst-case scenario. Namely, the possibility of dropping a men's sport.
"It's a last resort, but it could be a reality down the road," Yoshida said.
Of more immediate concern is that a financial cutback would impact recruiting and travel expenses, two areas in which UH is already geographically disadvantaged.
IN the best of all possible worlds, UH athletics would be self-supporting. Clearly, that hasn't been the case.
With a decline over the years in football revenue, exacerbated by a dramatic deficit in baseball, the UH athletic department is struggling to maintain its athletic budget of $14.3 million. That rates just above average as WAC budgets go, which means below average because of the costs to run an athletic program 2,500 miles from the nearest opponent.
UH spends $1 million in travel alone, according to associate athletics director Jim Donovan.
The expansion of the WAC from 10 to 16 teams three years ago added to the expenses. The men's and women's basketball programs each saw its travel budget increase by $40,000 from the previous year after playing WAC newcomers in Texas and Oklahoma for the first time.
It's too early to project in football because the Rainbows will play those schools for the first time this season and next fall.
Obviously, drawing 40,000 fans would help. Despite a 3-9 record last season, football made a modest financial turnaround, finishing in the black ($132,000) for the first time since 1994. A surcharge on the Notre Dame game was the difference as football netted $3.27 million.
THE most glaring budget deficit occurred in baseball, a sport that was in the black only three years ago. Crowds of 666 -- an equally evil number when it comes to attendance -- didn't help.
While revenue has dropped some $300,000 since 1994, expenses have gone up nearly $300,000 in that time. An increase in guarantees and travel costs added to the increasing costs.
"Baseball is a concern," Yoshida said. "We've talked and had discussions about it with Les (UH head coach Les Murakami)."
But as shown by the basketball program -- which made a $658,000 profit -- the only solution is to have a winning program. Yoshida also can thank volleyball -- the men's and women's programs -- for making unheard of revenue in a sport that's a loss leader at every other institution.
Budget crunch aside, it comes down to win or else for the Rainbows. Winning is the only thing that counts in college sports. It is a business after all. And for UH, a costly one to run.