Aloha Stadium has commissioned a task force to determine how the stadium can better interact with the University of Hawaii, UH athletic director Herman Frazier said. Frazier says he has
Aloha Stadium’s cooperationBy Dave Reardon
dreardon@starbulletin.comUH pays the state between $650,000 and $800,000 a year for rental of the stadium. Many question why one state entity pays another rent for use of a facility, and Warriors football coach June Jones broached the idea last year of the school controlling the stadium.
Frazier said the university isn't looking for total control as much as ways to cut expenses and perhaps share in money generated from parking and concessions.
"They've been very supportive," Frazier said. "They understand our issues. I've been able to have conversations with them about what we're struggling with," he said. "They will take a look at University of Hawaii issues and try to help us with those issues.
"Obviously the ultimate goal for me is for us to walk out of Aloha Stadium with a break in what we pay and some kind of financial return."
Selling the Rainbow: Frazier is in New Orleans this weekend for the Final Four. He's helping the UH basketball coaches find possible opponents for future Rainbow Classic tournaments.
UH has resurrected the hospitality room it used to host at Final Fours.
No soccer for now: UH still plans to add a men's cross country team to meet a new requirement for number of men's sports. He realizes soccer is probably more popular.
"One of the questions I get asked most often is if we're going to start a men's soccer program. I believe that men's soccer is a good international sport for us and there's a good following here," he said. "But the more pertinent sport would be cross country because that legislation that's coming down is about competing on the conference level. To compete on the conference level the sport that's easiest to get up and running for us is cross country; there are more schools in the WAC with men's cross country than soccer. It would also be more economically feasible given what we need to do with our gender equity plan."
Also, although UH will increase its spending on women's sports to continue toward meeting Title IX requirements, Frazier said there are no immediate plans to add another sport for women.
"We know women's wrestling is a huge sport here, but the question is who they would compete with," he said.
Fundraiser wanted: The athletic director will soon hire a full-time fundraiser, a first for UH, Frazier said.
The person who is hired will report to Vince Baldemor. Baldemor was recently hired to coordinate UH's athletic booster organization.
Cuando Las Vegas?: Frazier hopes the date for Hawaii's football game at Nevada-Las Vegas will be set by the end of the month. It was scheduled for Sept. 20, but TV considerations might move it to the night before.
When the game is played could determine if the Warriors remain on the mainland after their game at USC the week before. It also figures into the travel plans of many fans from Hawaii.
"We have conference meetings last week of April. Hopefully we will know something for sure by then," Frazier said.
Not going for the gold: Although his name has been bandied about as a candidate for United States Olympic Committee president, Frazier said he won't seek the position.
"It was in more than one (publication). But all along I've said I won't be a candidate and I stand by that," said Frazier, a USOC vice president who will, however, have an active role with the USA team at the 2004 Athens Games as the delegation's Chef de Mission (comparable to a general manager).
Renewals out soon: Season-ticket renewals for football and women's volleyball will be mailed out the middle of this month, Frazier said, to coincide with release of the new football pay-per-view price schedule.
"I've been in negotiations and discussions with Oceanic and KFVE," he said.
Football made around the same amount of money as it did in 2001, when it accounted for a $840,423 net gain, Frazier said.
"We don't have those exact numbers yet," he said. "Probably in about 30 days."
There is no news about contract negotiations for Jones, he said.
On track: Frazier is looking into hosting an annual track and field meet with elite level competition.
"We may be in a position where we can have a major international competition on an annual basis. I've already made contact with a lot of people who want to be involved and it would not take a lot of money," he said. "The track looks good, but there are some other upgrades we would need to do, such as improving the lights for TV."