Friday, August 13, 1999

Rainbows’ season-ticket
sales up about $100,000

Ticket sales are up almost 4 percent
with three weeks until the
opener vs. USC

By Pat Bigold
Star-Bulletin

Rainbows football season-ticket sales already exceed last year's total, Hawaii athletic director Hugh Yoshida said.

Yoshida said yesterday that 1999 sales have reached $2.8 million, about $100,000 (or 3.7 percent) ahead of last year.

At $144 per season ticket, that would mean the university has sold approximately 19,400 season tickets - about 700 more than in 1998.

"I think it's due to an expectation that our program will be competitive this year," Yoshida said. "People believe (new head coach) June Jones will put out a good brand of football and they want to see it."

He said the figures are especially encouraging because season ticket sales are still open, with the first game more than three weeks away.

Yoshida said he can project that the Sept. 4 opener against USC at Aloha Stadium will draw 40,000 to 45,000 people.

The average number of tickets distributed for Rainbow football games last season was 29,274, down 15 percent from 1997 and 35 percent from the 1992 WAC championship season.

Yoshida also said that Wahine volleyball season ticket sales are ahead of last year by 11 percent.

He said he believes there are several factors related to the surge, including the fact that the NCAA Final Four will be held here in December.

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