Travel subsidies unsettled issue

For the University of Hawaii, the $700,000 question that comes with the impending merger of the Mountain West and Conference USA is, How much will the Warriors have to pay in travel subsidies?

The Warriors will be a football-only member when the as-yet-unnamed conference debuts in 2013 with at least 16 teams stretching geographically from Hono­lulu to Greenville, N.C. Speculation is that Miami-based Florida International and Temple of Philadelphia might be expansion candidates.

UH is contracted to pay travel subsidies for football when it joins the MWC on July 1, but there is no current requirement for the Warriors to pay subsidies in the new conference, according to C-USA Chairman Scott Cowen, the Tulane president.

"There has been no decision on that," Cowen told the Star-Advertiser on Monday. East Caro­lina athletic director Terry Holland said, "We are a very long way from talking about travel subsidies. In fact, never heard of them until your email."

Officials cautioned that a number of issues regarding the merger and membership remain to be worked out.

Under terms of UH’s acceptance into the MWC, as outlined in a March 4, 2011, agreement, the Warriors are to pay $150,000 in so-called "travel cost sharing" for each California-based conference opponent that comes to Aloha Stadium and $175,000 for each MWC foe from beyond California.

In the 2012-2013 school year, four teams from beyond California — Boise State, Nevada, New Mexico and Nevada-Las Vegas — are scheduled to play here.

UH will receive no subsidy when it goes on the road to Air Force, Colo­rado State, Fresno State or San Diego State.

The UH agreement with the MWC notes the "amount for travel costs shall be adjusted annually based upon a mutually agreeable national index."

In addition, UH is contracted to pay subsidies for conference opponents in other sports under its membership agreement with the Big West in 2012-13. Cost is estimated to run about $500,000 to $600,000. Most of UH’s sports other than football will play in the California-based Big West.