Tuesday, July 31, 2001
Jones expects opener University of Hawaii head football coach June Jones said yesterday that UH's season opener against Montana on Sept. 8 on Maui will be a sellout.
on Maui to sell out
The UH coach says Valley Isle
residents are excited about
hosting the WarriorsBy Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comApproximately 10,000 tickets had been issued as of yesterday, according to an official from the UH ticket office. War Memorial Stadium in Wailuku seats about 22,000.
Jones spent Sunday on the Valley Isle, participating in a fundraising golf tournament to promote UH's first-ever game on a neighbor island.
"People are excited about it," Jones said. "People on Maui will talk about this game for the next 40 years."
Fans in Montana have purchased 500 tickets, a ticket office official said.
But some tickets allotted to the Grizzlies have been returned, making them available for sale in Hawaii, said Manny Sanchez, CEO of Ticket Plus, which is handling some aspects of distribution.
"Some of them are very good seats," Sanchez said. "I think we will see a surge near the end. But if people call in the next couple weeks they should be able to get good seats."
Jones said he is not concerned that less than half the stadium has been sold at this point.
"It doesn't matter. Corporations have agreed to buy them out if they haven't been sold before the game," Jones said.
Lenny Klompus runs the Hula Bowl, which has played to sellout crowds the past four years at War Memorial. He is acting as a consultant for the Hawaii-Montana game.
"Our Hula Bowl store is the main outlet on Maui and we've been busy as you know what," Klompus said. "A lot of commitments have been made by people to make sure this is a winner. I've been convinced from day one."
Klompus said the Hula Bowl is organizing pregame and halftime shows for the Hawaii-Montana game.
Sanchez said tickets range from $23.50 for adults and $15.50 for children 12-and-under.
http://uhathletics.hawaii.edu
