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Friday, March 3, 2000

Longhorns
want out of game
with ’Bows

Expenses, other travel related
costs cited as the reasons why
Texas don't want to play a
football game against
Hawaii on Sept. 2

By Cindy Luis
Star-Bulletin

The eyes of Texas may be looking elsewhere on Sept. 2 besides Aloha Stadium.

The Longhorns are trying to get out of their season-opening football game with the University of Hawaii, citing expenses and other travel-related factors.

The Texas game has been on the Rainbows' schedule since 1995. The possible cancellation left UH officials jamming the telephone lines this morning, trying to line up a potential replacement.

"When we talked to them last week, they said they were concerned about losing money,'' said UH athletic director Hugh Yoshida. "I told them I would see what I could do on this end. We sent several proposals to them but never heard back.

"It's very disappointing. The first we heard (about the cancellation) was when we got a call from a newspaper reporter yesterday.''

Yesterday, Mark Wangrin of the Austin American-Statesman called UH associate athletic director Jim Donovan, asking for a comment on the possible cancellation.

"I told him it was the first I had heard of it,'' Donovan said. "It's not a surprise when someone tells us they're running into expense trouble or need more help when it comes to hotels and things.

"But in football contractual terms, this is very, very late.''

Donovan said calls would be made today to fill either the Sept. 2 date or the open date at the end the Rainbows' schedule on Dec. 2.

"We can fill on either end of the schedule,'' said Donovan. "A cold-weather school might be more interested in coming out here in December.

"The bottom line is we can't take a chance on not having 12 games. It's late for teams to start making travel plans here. September 2 is right around the corner.''

Texas would owe UH $100,000 for breaking the contract. However, it would cost UH in several areas.

Yoshida said ticket sales will have to be put on hold while the possible rescheduling is done. UH also had planned to charge an extra $5 "premium game'' fee for the Texas contest.

The Hawaii-Texas game was also being discussed as part of the WAC regional television package. The loss of television revenue was estimated at around $25,000.

In 1995, the Longhorns flew to Hawaii via commercial airline, a cost estimated at $300,000. Texas coach Mack Brown, who took over the team in 1998, is insisting on a charter flight this time, which puts the cost at about $400,000.

"We faxed them back info that brought the cost to under $300,000,'' said Yoshida. "I have not heard back from (athletic director) DeLoss Dodds.

"The game has not been cancelled,'' Dodds was quoted as saying in today's editions of the American-Statesman. "We won't let (the decision) just hang there. That's not good for them or us. We are looking to negotiate or get out of it. ''

The Texas athletic department has begun receiving irate phone calls from Longhorns fans who have already purchased their travel packages to Hawaii. In most cases, the tickets are non-refundable.

A secondary motive for dropping the game is the travel involved as Texas is scheduled to play its first 11 games in consecutive weeks.

The Longhorns lost their final three games of last season, including a 27-6 loss to Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl.

"The current schedule is not really desirable for the welfare of the football team, considering the cost,'' Brown told the American-Statesman. "We would fly halfway around the world to play our opener, come home to play Louisiana-Lafayette and then go back to play Stanford, all in the first three weeks."

Yoshida said Texas was guaranteed $175,000 for the game, $25,000 more than the Longhorns got in 1995. Texas defeated Hawaii in the season opener five years ago, 38-17.

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UH Athletics
Ka Leo O Hawaii