HUGH Yoshida is on a roll that no craps table in Las Vegas has ever afforded him. Ticket pricing could
make or break UHNot only will the University of Hawaii athletics director be a judge tonight at the Miss Universe Country Costumes Contest at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, he learned yesterday he can charge people whatever he wants, whenever he wants at UH sporting events.
OK, OK, so he still has to get approval from the school president and the Board of Regents before raising ticket prices through the roof. But basically, the new version of the UH autonomy bill outlined in yesterday's Star-Bulletin gives Yoshida pricing power usually reserved for a Wal-Mart store manager.
But unlike that national store chain known for its low prices, don't be looking for too many discounts at UH in the years to come. Yoshida's idea of a good deal is waiving a $3 parking fee at Aloha Stadium, but only if your car is as full as the Flintstones' when they go to the drive-in movies.
The man needs many dollars to keep his books from resembling those kept by Selena's former fan club president. In order to stay out of the red, ticket prices have to go up, and soon.
A UH ticket-pricing committee recently recommended that Yoshida scale the house. Tickets on the sidelines would be more expensive than those awful end zone seats, and marquee matchups would cost more than other games. Wow, what will they think of next?
UNFORTUNATELY for Yoshida, he won't be able to implement the plan this fall because mailing for season-ticket packages is already six weeks behind.
With that in mind, season-ticket holders will pay the same as a year ago. The going rate for seven of the games will be $16 for sideline seats and $14 for end zone. The season finale against defending national champion Michigan will cost $21 for sidelines and $19 for end zone.
The price for individual game tickets for the Arizona, BYU and Northwestern games could be in the same ballpark as the Michigan game if the Board of Regents accepts Yoshida's official presentation, which he is expected to make this summer.
The question is, will fans join him in the ballpark this fall, or will Aloha Stadium crowds continue to dwindle? While ticket prices for football have been on a slow but steady increase since the 11-2 championship season of 1992, the performance on the field has continued to drop.
You can only raise prices so much before people ask, "What kind of entertainment value am I getting for the dollars I spend?" If their response is, "Not much," then the fans will continue to disappear.
THAT means if the UH autonomy bill is passed by the Legislature on Monday and signed by the governor, the Regents need to go over Yoshida's season-ticket proposal very carefully before giving their tacit approval. After all, the law of diminishing returns is at work here.
People across the state are working hard to make ends meet. If the price for a season-ticket package is equivalent to a ringside seat at next week's Miss Universe pageant, then nobody will come.
Yoshida is aware of this. He also knows that the autonomy bill not only gives him power, but also accountability. If the public thinks the athletic department is abusing this power, which allows it to conduct business without public hearings, then all hell will break lose.
It is uncharted territory for the athletic department. How it handles the wicked weapon it wields could set a standard well into the next millennium.
In recent years, Yoshida has repeatedly told the boys downtown that if they continue to chip away at his paltry budget, he needs the flexibility to make financial decisions without having the state's final approval.
It's a fair arrangement, but one Yoshida has to handle carefully. Or face the reality of crapping out when the athletic department needs him to stay on a roll.
Paul Arnett has been covering sports
for the Star-Bulletin since 1990.