Wednesday, November 25, 1998

Prep Bowl
organizers have
high hopes

Friday's showdown between
nationally ranked Kahuku and
St. Louis could draw 30,000-plus

By Pat Bigold
Star-Bulletin

None of the previous 25 Prep Bowls has received as much exposure as Friday's clash between nationally ranked Kahuku and St. Louis at Aloha Stadium.

For that reason, organizers from the Oahu Interscholastic Association and the Interscholastic League of Honolulu are expecting one of the largest crowds in the history of the event.

OIA executive secretary Dwight Toyama last night said, "I will be happy with 25,000 and elated with 30,000."

ILH executive secretary Clay Benham predicted about 30,000.

The attendance record was set in 1978 when 32,812 saw Waianae defeat Kamehameha, 14-6.

Besides media attention, the Prep Bowl is getting promotional exposure from Oceanic Cable's marketing department as the cable station will televise the event on a pay-per-view basis (PPV 47). The event has never before been televised.

In addition, radio station KSSK is giving the game a lot of attention by promoting the $10,000 Hershey's kick, which will be staged at halftime.

One person has been chosen from thousands of local entries to attempt the kick. Make it or miss it, the kicker will get a trip and two tickets to the Super Bowl.

"But I think the biggest draw to this game is that Kahuku has a strong possibility of ending St. Louis' streak," Benham said.

"This is one of the finest attractions we've ever had and I'm expecting a very close game."

The Crusaders, No. 15 in the National Prep Football Poll, have won the last 12 Prep Bowls.

But the Prep Bowl hasn't attracted a crowd of 30,000 or more since 1980, when Waianae and Iolani played to a 7-7 tie.

The game has eclipsed 30,000 only four times in its history, and each time was between 1975 and 1980.

Attendance dropped to a low of 15,922 in 1986, but has surpassed 29,000 twice this decade.

In 1990, when St. Louis defeated Farrington, 38-3, the game attracted 29,362 spectators. In 1995, when St. Louis edged Kahuku, 27-26, 29,129 attended.

The lowest attendance this decade was in 1996, when St. Louis beat Waianae, 6-0, in front of 16,094.

Oceanic marketing director Mitzi Lehano said she hopes the pay-per-view experiment draws about 2,000 more viewers.

Lehano said she was especially encouraged that the OIA championship broadcast on Nov. 13 captured 30 percent of the island audience watching TV between 7:30 and 10 p.m.

She said that just under 100 had subscribed as of yesterday, but that's not surprising. Lehano said most people will probably subscribe the day of the game. It will only be available on Oahu.

The game will be shown twice after Friday night for free.

Benham long opposed TV for the Prep Bowl, but changed his stance in September when principals of both leagues agreed to the Oceanic deal.

Toyama said he isn't worried that the availability of the game on TV will detract from the gate.

"People who subscribe to pay-per-view are people who would not go to the game anyway," he said.

Pay-per-view cost is $12.95. The cost of attending the game is $7 per adult, and stadium parking is $2.

"If the gate is poor, both parties (the OIA and ILH) will be reluctant to put it on TV again," said Lehano, whose station has been broadcasting OIA football for 10 years. "So we're hoping people go out to the stadium."

Kahuku (12-0) has been ranked No. 18 in USA Today's "Super 25" for the past several weeks.

Prep Bowl attendance At Aloha Stadium 1975 -- 30,201 1976 -- 26,066 1977 -- 30,793 1978 -- 32,812 1979 -- 26,619 1980 -- 31,484 1981 -- 22,235 1982 -- 24,090 1983 -- 29,429 1984 -- 27,499 1985 -- 16,894 1986 -- 15,922 1987 -- 17,029 1988 -- 18,752 1989 -- 22,219 1990 -- 29,362 1991 -- 21,272 1992 -- 19,298 1993 -- 21,114 1994 -- 25,838 1995 -- 29,129 1996 -- 16,094 1997 -- 23,973 Note: 1973, 1974 games were held at Honolulu Stadium