Tulane is asking its football fans to purchase tickets for a game few of them can attend. Wave fans would get ticket,
but not gameTulane is trying to sell most of its
Hawaii's Manuwai named to AP's second team
allotted tickets as souvenirs
Notebook
By Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comAs part of its ConAgra Foods Hawaii Bowl contract, the Conference USA school in New Orleans was required to buy 10,000 tickets to the Dec. 25 game against Hawaii at Aloha Stadium.
But only around 500 Green Wave fans are expected to make the trip. So the Tulane athletic department is selling commemorative souvenir tickets at $40 each.
It's desperation or innovation, or a bit of both.
"This is a great way for fans to be a part of the Wave's bowl trip this year, even if they can't make it to Hawaii," Tulane athletic director Rick Dickson said. "Our team has had a great season and this bowl ticket will be an excellent remembrance of that."
Around 28,600 tickets -- including Tulane's allotment of 10,000 -- had been distributed for the game at the end of business last Friday, Hawaii Bowl executive director Jim Donovan said yesterday.
Tickets, which are $15, $25 and $40, are available at the Aloha Stadium and Stan Sheriff Center ticket offices. They can also be purchased by phone at 484-1122.
"Conference USA and Tulane have agreed to make some of those (10,000) tickets available. A large portion, for example, will be made available to the military personnel on the island, especially unattached military, giving them an opportunity to come to the game," Donovan said. "Tickets will also be provided to foster children and their legal guardians."
Still, there will likely be a large difference between tickets distributed and actual attendance.
Attendance will also take a hit because local fans will have the option to stay home and watch it on TV, instead. ESPN won't black out the game in Hawaii.
"If you cut out any part of the country, even something as small as a million, 1.2 million people in Honolulu and don't show it, that affects the revenue they receive from national sponsors by as much as 30 percent. So if they're charging $30,000 for a 30-second commercial, they can only charge $21,000 if any part of the country is blacked out," Donovan said. "That's a huge differential for them."
Donovan, speaking to the Honolulu Quarterback Club yesterday, said he hopes for a crowd in the 35,000 range. But even if ticket sales don't pick up, he said the bowl could still make a profit because of TV revenue and sponsorship support.
"We have four presenting sponsors, 23 supporting sponsors and 14 corporations bought 50 (or more) $40 tickets," he said.
The former UH associate athletic director also pointed out the potential long-term benefits for both schools' football programs, as well as Hawaii tourism because of the national TV exposure.
"It's a great recruiting tool for the University of Hawaii and Tulane," he said. "I think it's going to be great for our state. I hope it will be snowing across the rest of the country."
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