Monday, May 3, 1999

Hawaii out
of running for
WAC tourney

Commissioner Karl Benson
says logistics and travel
costs were the reasons

By Paul Arnett
Star-Bulletin

Hawaii received a major setback yesterday when the Western Athletic Conference's athletic directors narrowed the field to Tulsa, Fresno State and Dallas to host the postseason basketball tournaments into the next millennium.

They will ask the presidents to choose the site at their meetings next month in California. Bowl Games of Hawaii officials were disappointed with the news.

"I don't like to lose," Bowl Games of Hawaii chief executive officer Lenny Klompus said. "Obviously, we're disappointed. It came down to the athletic directors going one-on-one, not the organizers in the respective cities.

WAC commissioner Karl Benson said last night that logistics were the main reason Hawaii was turned down.

"Everyone was intrigued by the aura of Hawaii, but the athletic directors were worried about fans having to travel there, the time difference for media considerations and having to come back in time to play in the NCAA tournament just a few days later," Benson said. "Hawaii put together a wonderful package, but the logistical concerns were too much to overcome."

Last Wednesday in Dallas, Benson asked Klompus to take part in the weekend presentation at the league meetings in San Diego, but UH athletic director Hugh Yoshida had other plans in mind.

Upon his return from Dallas last Friday, Klompus was met by Yoshida at the baggage claim of Honolulu Airport. Yoshida said he would make the presentation.

"We spent more than 100 hours putting this thing together," Klompus said. "We felt like this was a chance for Hawaii to be a major WAC player."

Benson announced that the WAC won't receive an automatic bid to the NCAA basketball tournament next year because the league's teams haven't been together long enough.

Hawaii did beat back a challenge by San Jose State to review travel subsidies, but WAC officials said that was never a major issue.

"There wasn't much discussion among the athletic directors," Benson said. "It was removed from our agenda early on. I'm not sure why that received so much press."

Benson said the two major issues of expansion and whether Fox Sports will be willing to broadcast football and men's basketball would be discussed today. He said the athletic directors were lukewarm toward expansion and that Fox didn't have a firm offer in place.