Athletic director Ben Jay is pledging “to come out with some pretty aggressive ticket plans” in the next month in an attempt to win back University of Hawaii sports fans.
While football and Rainbow Wahine volleyball will be the first sports offered, UH said men’s and women’s basketball and men’s volleyball would also be included in the drive.
“We’re going to throw everything we can at it,” Jay said. “We’re pulling out the stops.”
UH officials have been meeting for weeks to come up with ways to reverse a decline at the box office.
Jay has told the UH Board of Regents the athletic department’s goal is to at least balance its budget for the 2014 fiscal year that started Monday.
The 2013 fiscal year that closed Sunday marked the 10th time in the past 12 years the department operated at a deficit. Ticket sales in the major sports fell more than $1.3 million short of projections in 2013.
Jay declined to go into specifics of his new ticket plans, including a “Go Green, Save Green” marketing initiative, pending the unveiling. But UH is expected to offer family packs and mini-pack game assortments in addition to other promotions. “Let’s just say we are going to be real aggressive with this,” Jay said.
In addition, the marketing department has been tasked with upgrading in-stadium and arena activities and promotions to entice fans into attending events.
Jay said UH is working with its TV partner, Oceanic Time Warner Cable, to offer public Wi-Fi in the Stan Sheriff Center this fall. That, UH officials said, will allow fans greater opportunities for interactive participation, with programs in the arena and on the message board.
He said Wi-Fi may eventually be extended to Les Murakami Stadium, but “right now we’re concentrating on the Sheriff Center, trying to get it ready for the upcoming season,” Jay said.
UH is scheduled to begin its sale of football season tickets to new customers Monday. New Wahine volleyball ticket sales are underway.
