UH hopes to reduce costs on subsidies

The University of Hawaii is gambling that it can save money on travel subsidies by directly booking the trips for Big West Conference opponents.

And all but two of its nine Big West opponents for 2012-13 are giving UH the chance to roll the dice.

As a condition of membership in the Big West, which UH joins in most sports except football on July 1, the school must underwrite travel by conference teams to Honolulu.

Officially referred to as "travel cost sharing," the contract says "Hawaii shall provide each conference member the choice of one of two travel cost sharing options each year: (1) $500 per visiting team travel party member or (2) airline tickets for each visiting team travel party member purchased by Hawaii through its contracted travel agency."

With subsidies estimated to run $500,000 — or more — this year, and the athletic department attempting to hold the line on costs where it can, UH asked for the option, saying it believed it could do at least as well, if not better, by handling the arrangements in-house.

"Panda (Travel) does a good job of procuring airfare for us at reasonable rates and we try to purchase a large portion of the tickets well in advance of the events," said athletic director Jim Donovan.

Panda Travel is the athletic department’s contracted agent.

As a cost-saving measure, for several years UH has offered visiting nonconference football opponents the option of having UH book their travel and hotels or getting a lump sum guarantee.

In the Big West, only Cal State Fullerton and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo of UH’s nine conference opponents for 2012-13 have elected to take cash payments, school officials said.

"If things go our way we’ll be able to come in under that ($500)," said associate athletic director Carl Clapp. "If fuel prices shoot up, well, you know what fun that will be."

In UH’s move to the Mountain West Conference for football, there is no option. UH is to pay conference members from California $150,000 and teams from beyond California $175,000 this season.