UH faces potential $1 million deficit

The bill on an 0-8 — so far — football season is coming due at the University of Hawaii, where the shortfall in ticket revenue could hit nearly $1 million and force department-wide cutbacks in athletics.

With a six-game home schedule that included USC, Fresno State and Army, and hope for an improvement on 2012’s 3-9 finish, the athletic department had projected $4.33 million in football ticket revenues this year.

But with the receipts in on four games and only the walk-up sales for two games remaining, UH is at $3.13 million and unlikely to top $3.4 million, according to officials. That figure is said to include early sales through last Thursday for both the Nov. 16 game against San Diego State and the Nov. 30 finale against Army.

"Without those operating funds, I’m scared about what our year-end is going to look like," athletic director Ben Jay said Monday.

UH had expected to easily exceed last year’s total of $3.32 million and reach the five-year average of $4.2 million.

But the second-longest losing streak in school history has put a damper on that, with only one home crowd — 34,495 for USC in the season opener — exceeding 26,000. The average attendance, 27,359, is running below the 2012 average of 27,462.

This summer, the Manoa Chancellor’s office erased a $13 million accumulated net deficit built up over the past decade. Athletics was projected to have a $250,000 deficit for the current fiscal year that ends June 30, 2014.

Barring a surge, average UH turnstile attendance will finish at its lowest level since the 0-12 season of 1998.

"I’m fearful for the last two home games because, obviously, the figures are going to fall short on what we have projected," Jay said. "We’ve thrown everything we can into promoting ticket sales with all the ads on TV … everything. But, when it comes right down to it, an 0-8 season does not help matters. The folks have to respond."

Jay said, "without the ticket sale and (other) financial support, it isn’t just football that is hurt, it is the entire program, from top to bottom."

Coaches and staffers were told during the summer that "the budget would be in trouble" if several key financial milestones, including football revenue, weren’t met "and that we would, probably in November or December, have to look at cutbacks," Jay said.

Jay said, "You have to consider cutbacks. (But) we’re to the point where we have cut back so far that we are already a lean operation."

Jay said, "we need everyone’s help, whether it is buying tickets or donating."