Pro Bowl deal runs
through 2009
The state and NFL have come to
an agreement to keep the all-star
game here
Jim Steeg is on his way out as NFL executive vice president in charge of special events, having announced his pending resignation earlier this year. But he certainly didn't leave the Pro Bowl contract job unfinished.
Neither did the state of Hawaii.
Steeg and state officials including Gov. Linda Lingle were scheduled this morning to announce a new contract for Hawaii to continue its 25-year run of hosting the all-star game.
As the Star-Bulletin first reported in February when an "agreement in principle" was reached, the new contract is for five years and will cost the state less per year in hosting fees than it did in 2004. The new deal is for $21 million over the five years. The state was due to pay $5.5 million this year. (The 2003 game generated $28 million in visitor spending and $2.7 million in state tax, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority.)
"The goal of this from our standpoint was to ease all the grumbling and rumbling we heard from a lot of people after our last contract," Steeg said. "We tried to listen to everyone and get all the problems addressed. Larry and Rex (Johnson of the HTA) were the point men along with (Stadium Authority chair) Tony Guerrero at Aloha Stadium.
"We wanted them to feel like they had a piece of the pie. This deal is responsive to their concerns as well as ours. Quite frankly, we bit off a challenge ourselves. We feel like everybody benefits from this new deal. Hopefully, it's a win-win from all sides."
HTA board member Larry Johnson said he thinks that has been accomplished.
"Not only will we have the Pro Bowl for five more years, but the cost will be substantially less for the people of Hawaii," he said. "It's good for Hawaii and good for the NFL."
As part of the deal, the NFL will control additional revenue-producing opportunities at Aloha Stadium, including advertising, concessions and signage. The NFL will make an annual contribution toward a stadium capital improvement project.
"We're putting in $250,000 ($50,000 from the NFL, $200,000 from the HTA) each year to help with the improvements at the stadium," Steeg said. "Our thoughts are to help with the replacement of the Jumbotron, which is light years behind what is being used at NFL stadiums around the country. We would also help in replacing seats, that kind of thing. It won't cover the entire costs of these projects, but will help them get things done. The stadium is, what, 30 years old? So I'm sure there are different areas that need addressing."
The NFL will also donate $1 million to the creation of an NFL Youth Education Town (YET) in Hawaii. NFL YET Centers -- educational and recreational facilities for at-risk children -- have been established in Super Bowl host cities since 1992.
"The state will match it 2-for-1. We're hopeful with the NFL name on the door, it will help get them in," Steeg said. "A building hasn't been selected yet, to my knowledge. But we're hopeful our donation will help with computers, that sort of thing, to aid the at-risk youth of Hawaii. We've only done this in Super Bowl cities, so this is very important to us to show our commitment to Hawaii. We will also maintain all our charitable programs in the state."
In February, the NFL announced that more than 30 Hawaii non-profit organizations had received a combined $100,000 as part of the NFL Charities Pro Bowl Grant Program.
The NFL and the state also will form marketing and events committees.
"You have the No. 1 brand in sports working with the No. 1 brand in Hawaii, which is tourism. We're going to get out there and start pushing this game in the first quarter of the year. The HVCB and our own events committee are all on the same page with this, which should be mutually beneficial," Steeg said.
The University of Hawaii athletic department will also be involved in joint ventures with the NFL.
"We'll have a forged partnership with UH that will help them and us with co-op services, such as buses, hotel deals," Steeg said. "Talking with (UH athletic director) Herman (Frazier), our relationship with them will help in local sponsorship sales, such as banks, airlines. It should give them more buying power to be linked with us."
Pro Bowl Youth Clinics, which allow youngsters to learn the basics of football from NFL players, will continue, as will player visits to schools, which help motivate students to reach for their dreams.
The 2005 Pro Bowl is Sunday, Feb. 13, and will be televised by ESPN.
