State universities facing financial decisions related to athletic facilities barely clear the bar as news these days. There never has been and likely never will be a major football school that says it has everything it needs for as far as it can see into the future.
But in this, and most other instances, the University of Hawaii’s football stadium issues are, as we know, special.
That’s why it should be taken as good news that state Rep. Issac Choy (District 23 Manoa), chair of the state’s House Education committee recently oversaw approval for a new funding structure for UH-Manoa athletics. Instead of the school suggesting so much for this team, so much for that team, Choy’s committee wants to make UH-Manoa autonomous in the sense that the state will give the money requested – almost $370 million this time – and let the school give where it sees fit.
If the senate votes to agree with the plan it will accomplish two immediately desirable outcomes. For one, it will end various groups blaming the state, meaning the athletic department would then get those complaints, and yes, that’s good news because the athletic department would be in the position of doing something about its own issues.
Naming David Matlin, the former top executive at the Hawaii Bowl, as the new athletic director, was a good start. Two decades of sales and marketing here seems like just the right background for the future, which is what needs to be grasped prior to moving ahead.
My thought in these matters is always to dream big. Whether seeking sponsors, working with the NFL for annual exhibition games, a commitment to the Pro Bowl at least every other year, a preseason college football kickoff game, whatever, the proposed 35,000-seat stadium can become a real engine house if the dream is big enough.
How big?
There might be a way to move into the desired Big Boy Neighborhood as college football continues to reposition itself for the future. We have seen historic rivalries (Texas-Texas A&M) trashed, conference traditions shrugged off (yes, Missouri, you’re in the SEC), all to position schools for better financial environments as the football playoff expands.
At some point, there will be a group of 50 or more schools in a new organization that will compete for the national championship. The ideal number would be 64, split into conferences and divisions that would have playoffs leading to the title game, but it will be a significant number of the upper-crust football schools.
It’s a long shot but not out of the question that a new stadium could get UH-Manoa in the big game picture, yes, even with a 35,000-seat stadium. Giant stadiums are great for some places, not sensible in other places. Television money will pay most of the bills in the future, but a noisy 35,000-seat stadium, swathed in lush shades of green would look great on HD screens around the country in football season.
When the big split happens, not all the schools in the “Power 5” conferences will make the cut — sorry, Iowa State, Wake Forest and Vanderbilt – while others, such as BYU and Central Florida might very well be part of the new landscape. BYU has a national following and its inclusion would show a bit of NCAA diversity. Central Florida is the second largest school in the country and is essentially the young giant moving in.
Develop a seductive plan that would make the NCAA jump at the concept, including a bauble of paradise here that speaks to inclusion and diversity.
With a TV contract like all the others and a break on travel (63 other schools could share the wealth on that painlessly with the next round of TV playoff money), Hawaii could be the showcase venue for diversity, a location television loves with a cool stadium that the NCAA could rightfully say proves it isn’t there just for the big bucks, but for the wide variety of educational and athletic possibilities available to students.
Anything’s possible, but only if we dream, big.
(Thoughts? Contact Bart by email at bartwright987@gmail.com)
